The Tohsaka Clan War
by Hagalaz001
Summary: Sakura Tohsaka ran away over ten years ago, but through a stroke of luck fell in with a certain redheaded magus as her apprentice. Now, having learned everything her master would teach her, and a plan is set in motion with the Tohsaka Clan itself at stake. Can Rin defend her claim, or will Sakura seize it amidst the fires of war?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Prologue

Morning was warm and humid over the suburbs of Fuyuki City, the sound of cicadas steadily droning in the background, the day already building to the heat of the summer at noon. Amidst the suburbs, a large, western-style mansion stood in the middle of expansive grounds, great iron gates standing closed through the outer wall that surrounded the latter.

The placard to one side of the gate read 'Tohsaka'.

Not far from the gate, a young woman on a black motorbike with silver highlights slowed to a halt, and switching off her machine pulled off her helmet. Like the motorbike it was black, with twin silver wings painted on either side of the visor.

Running a hand through her hair, the young woman anchored her motorbike, and getting off hung her helmet on a handlebar. Unlocking and opening the seat compartment, a pair of small dolls that were mirror images of the young woman if dressed like maids floated out, and settled themselves on her shoulders.

"Well," the young woman said. "Here we are, Hourai and Shourai. Where it all began."

The young woman smiled and stared at the mansion visible over the wall.

" _Crest?"_

 _Master and apprentice stared at each other in their shared workshop, the former seated at her desk, and the latter standing beside her. The master was a bespectacled woman with long red hair tied back in a ponytail, dressed in a button-down blouse and light brown pants and matching shoes. Her blouse had long sleeves, but they were rolled up to her elbows._

 _In contrast, the apprentice was a girl of ten, with bob-cut, shoulder-length, dark-brown hair. Like her master she wore a white, button-down blouse, though hers had short sleeves and were trimmed in black. Her knee-length skirt was patterned like a checkerboard in black and white, and along with her black apron and shoes sharply contrasted with her blouse and white stockings._

" _You want a crest?" the master asked._

 _The apprentice fidgeted. "Y-yes." She fumbled. "Though, I didn't mean…that is…I wasn't…asking to have yours, since I'm not blood-related and so I can't have it. And even if I could, it's not like it's too late for you to have kids…well that's…"_

 _The master sighed as her apprentice trailed off. "Why do you even want a crest in the first place?" she asked._

" _Why wouldn't I want one?" the apprentice asked. "A crest is useful, isn't it? It's the…crystallization, of a magus and their ancestors' magecraft, and makes it easier to cast their spells. Also, don't they stabilize unstable mysteries? And in case of critical injury, they can…"_

" _Yes, yes," the master said, waving a hand in the air. "I know what a crest is, conceptually-speaking. I also know what they can do, and how useful they are. But, for all that they're a massive pain in the ass."_

" _Huh?"_

" _What, did you think inheriting a crest is a simple matter?"_

" _Of course not," the apprentice said. "I know implantation is a painful process, and afterward you need to take special drugs to stabilize it, and even with that and bloodline affinity, there's still a chance of rejection and other complications."_

" _And at times even when inactive they act up." The master said with a nod. "I know. Back when I was a kid I heard my…predecessor, complain about his crest at times."_

 _The apprentice blinked. "What about you, master?" she asked. "Doesn't your crest act up sometimes?"_

" _I don't have a crest." The master said with a touch of bitterness, and smiled slightly at the mixed expression of surprise and regret on her apprentice's face. "Don't worry, I'm not going to get angry for you bringing it up. I should have told you I guess, in hindsight, about my not having a crest, and why that's the case. Though, that's a story for another time…and it's…no, not really…old bile, that is…"_

 _The master trailed off, muttering to herself, while her apprentice silently looked on and listened. After several moments the master turned back to her apprentice. "Another reason why crests are a massive pain in the neck is that inheritance of crests often cause…well, fights and arguments, inside families, over the inheritance." The master said. "It sounds so simple, but 'heir and a spare' is not nearly as simple as it sounds. I know that quite well, and so do you, don't you, my little runaway apprentice?"_

 _The apprentice looked away with a slight blush, and the master smiled and shrugged. "Anyway," she said. "While I_ _ **know**_ _crests are…more trouble than they worth, or at least they seem that way, I also know useful they can be. Gods know how much easier things would be for me if I had a crest, though if I did I probably wouldn't be here right now…"_

 _The master trailed off, leaving her apprentice looking at her in curiosity. "A story for another day," the master said with a small laugh. "Well, if you want a crest, you can get one using either of two ways."_

" _Oh?"_

" _The first is you make your own." The master said. "That said, since you'll be starting from scratch it won't be as useful as an actual crest is, if at all, since you won't be so much as having one as you are building one.'_

" _Huh?" the apprentice said. "But I thought that all magi of a lineage add to a crest so how…?"_

 _The master scratched her head. "How to say this in simple terms…" she muttered. "Exactly…that: they're just adding to a crest. You would be building one. Or rather you are preparing the core for them to add to, and for them to use…"_

 _The master trailed off and scratched her head again. "Hmm…let's put this in a more…step by step manner…" she said. "Alright, when you make a crest, you first need to find the right spot in your body to implant it – the core of what would be your magic crest – in, and then you need to find something with sufficient…conceptual weight, and affinity to your magecraft, to serve as a core. With me so far?"_

 _The apprentice nodded. "Usually," the master continued. "A core takes the form of a mystic code, part of or your actual magnum opus, or a preserved fragment of a Phantasmal Species with an affinity for your magecraft."_

"… _I…don't think I can start making one yet."_

" _No, I don't think so either." The master said with a smile. "You're still at least ten years away from beginning to work on your magnum opus, and a preserved fragment of a Phantasmal Species is…extremely rare and expensive to find much less obtain. Not to mention, considering the rarity of your Sorcery Trait, well, I think using your magnum opus or a part of it as the core of your prospective crest might be more in line than finding a Phantasmal Species attuned to you."_

" _Are you sure there won't be?"_

" _There might be." The master admitted. "But Phantasmal Species rarely appear on this side of the World these days, so much so that…"_

"… _it's on par with True Magic." The apprentice finished with a sigh. "I know. Even if there are Phantasmal Species with an affinity for my magecraft, the chances of them appearing much less there would be existing samples of them I could use…"_

 _The apprentice trailed off with a sigh, and nodded at her master. "I get your point." She said. "I think I also get why even if I start making a crest, I won't really be able to use it."_

" _Oh?"_

" _It's basically just raw material. Kind of like ore, isn't it?" the apprentice asked. "And by implanting it in me and…attuning it to my concepts, it's like refining the ore into something useful. But I can't really use it. And it's more dangerous than actually inheriting a crest, as there's a bigger chance of failure and rejection."_

" _Pretty much," the master said with a shrug. "And of course, it doesn't have magic circuits like an actual crest would have, so there's nothing to use. It's your heir and successor who'd first to truly be able to use it, as he'll inherit the attuned crest_ _ **and**_ _the magic circuits that come with it. You understand how, don't you?"_

" _Yes." The apprentice said with a nod. "When I pass it on, I remove the magic circuits into which the core was implanted, and then…re-forge them, into a more stable form. My successor inherits them…"_

"… _and he uses them and continues to attune them to your lineage's concepts," the master continued with a nod. "And when it's his turn to pass them on he removes the crest along with the circuits into which it was implanted, re-forges them again, and then implants it into the successor…and it goes on and on…"_

"… _passed on from one generation to another," the apprentice said with a nod. "Each generation further…deepening, the concepts imprinted on the crest, and adding more magical potential and refining it as it goes."_

 _The apprentice sighed. "Sorry kid," her master told her. "That's just how it goes. When you make a crest, it's not for your own sake, it's for those who'll follow in your footsteps."_

" _What about you, master?" the apprentice asked. "Are you planning on making your own crest eventually?"_

" _Maybe…" the master said after a moment's thought. "I haven't planned on it, but I might, or I might not."_

 _The master paused, and with a smile ruffled her apprentice's hair. "Well," she said. "If you want to make your crest, you'll have to wait a few more years at least before you can start making one. And you'll need the detailed procedures for it, which I don't have right now, though I can get them if you or I ever decide to go down that path."_

 _The apprentice nodded but was silent in thought for several moments. The master looked on in silence, and then the apprentice spoke up._

" _You said there were two ways for me to get a crest." She said. "What's the second?"_

 _The master smiled. "Go steal your family's crest." She said._

" _Huh?"_

" _Surprised?"_

" _But I can't do that!" the apprentice protested. "I'm not a thief!"_

" _But you're a magus." The master said coldly. "And when it comes to advancing their magecraft, magi should not hesitate to do what needs to be done to advance their path to the Root. Not even to spy on and steal from other magi if their secrets and mysteries and artifacts are of use to you…even if they are family…"_

 _The master paused, and laughed with a bitter note of irony. "I guess that makes me a hypocrite," she said mockingly. "Then again, it's not like Humans were born not to be hypocrites, much less magi…"_

 _Closing her eyes, the master took a deep breath before looking back at her apprentice. "Though," she said, and patting the girl on the head. "If you don't want to steal it, challenge the heir for it in battle. Then you can at least claim it on grounds of right of conquest."_

 _The apprentice lowered her face, troubled and weighed down by thought. "Anyway," the master said, getting up from her chair and putting a hand on her apprentice's shoulder. "You're still years away from being able to challenge your sister, my little runaway."_

 _The apprentice nodded, and then to her surprise found her master's fingers under her chin, gently but firmly pushing her face up to meet her master's eyes, the woman having crouched down to her level. "It's completely up to you, whether you want to challenge her or not," she said. "But right now, we have more important things to do, don't we?"_

" _Yes, master. Sorry for wasting time."_

" _No, it's fine." The master said, getting to her feet. "It's not like this was something you didn't need to know or be taught about…anyway, you have chores to do, right?"_

 _The apprentice nodded, and the master nodded back. "Then get to it," she said with an encouraging pat on the girl's head, and getting to her feet. "Those limbs won't finish themselves on their own, you know."_

" _Yes, master."_

"And this is where it will end…or will it?" Sakura Tohsaka muttered, and narrowed her eyes. "No…it's just the beginning of the end."

Closing her eyes, she sighed and leaned back against her motorbike. She'd spent the months since her sister had left the country with her apprentice and boyfriend for London and the Clock Tower, watching through the eyes of her familiars and gathering the routine of the only person left behind.

The same person that would allow Sakura to pass through the bounded fields without needing to bring them down, and set into motion her plan to supplant her sister as the inheritor of the Tohsaka Clan. Though, just in case that wouldn't work, her familiars had also gathered plenty of information on the structure, design, strengths and weaknesses of the bounded fields surrounding the Tohsaka property.

" _Not bad dad, not bad at all…_ " Sakura thought as she thought of the bounded fields protecting the mansion before them. She ran through them in her head, along with her prepared plans and designs to bring them down just in case, silently busying herself for the next several minutes, until the sound of approaching footsteps drew her attention.

Turning her head, Sakura noted the approaching figure of her mother, Aoi Tohsaka. She was older now, with touches of grey to her hair, but she was still the same beautiful woman in Sakura's memories…

…and closing her eyes, Sakura crushed the desire to run to her, to introduce herself, to embrace her and be part of one big happy family again…

 _Sakura, you will be given to the Matou family, to become their heiress…after they take custody of you, you will not be part of this family anymore…I'm sorry…it's for the best…_

" _For the best, huh, dad?_ " Sakura thought to herself with a smile. " _There are a lot of things I've done and regretted or think were stupid…but running away was not one of them. And I_ _ **will**_ _be part of the family…even if I have to force the issue._ "

As Aoi Tohsaka passed by with her fresh groceries, the mental image of bright flame erupting in the darkness sent prana burning through Sakura's circuits. "Excuse me, mom." Sakura said. "But, I think you can help me with something, can't you?"

Aoi paused, and turned with a smile, her eyes wide and blank. "Of course my dear," she said happily, oblivious to the spell blanketing her mind. "Anything for you."

Sakura smiled, crushing the protests of her conscience with iron resolve. "Then shall we go in?" she asked. "I want to see the workshop and library, and other important things that I'll need."

"Yes, of course. Just follow me."

 _Let the games begin._

* * *

A/N

As Sakura said, let the games begin.

Not much to really say, though I wonder if anyone can correctly guess who Sakura's master was. It's not really that difficult, to be honest, there aren't that many redheaded magi of note in the Nasuverse. I'll give you two guesses but you're only going to need one.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Chapter 1

 _Four Years Later_

Big Ben's bells echoed out over the city of London as it faithfully chimed the hour as it had for well over a century. The solemn peals were matched by the somber clouds overhead, the skies overcast with a veiled promise of rain.

In a jewelry shop, a young man with red hair and golden eyes was standing at the cashier as the lady behind it checked his purchase. Slightly taller than the norm, he wore a white turtleneck shirt beneath a blue and white jacket over dark grey pants and dark brown shoes. A habitual smile played lightly on his lips, and he gave a small bow while receiving his change.

"What a polite young man you are." The cashier observed with a chuckle of her own. "Your lady's a lucky one, that she is."

Shirou Emiya laughed with a small blush. "Not as lucky as I am." He said, the cashier also laughing.

"Honest too." She said, and shared another laugh with the young man.

"Anyway, thank you." Shirou said, taking his package and slipping it into a pocket in his jacket with another bow. The cashier nodded and looked on as Shirou left the store.

"What a nice young lad," she observed. "A bit young getting married, though."

"Well, I wouldn't know about that." The elderly jeweler remarked from elsewhere in the store. "Back in my day…assuming his lady is about his age, not so much."

Shirou hummed to himself as he strolled quickly down the streets of London, back towards the Clock Tower. It'd been years now, since he'd left Japan along with his mentor and girlfriend (something his friends had teased him about over the years), and now that she was also finishing her own studies (for now at least) at the Clock Tower, they'd probably be heading back.

 _No, not probably – we will be going back. She has her responsibility as the Second Owner back home after all, to say nothing of Aoi-san living all on her own._

 _And in any case, with the arrangements with the financial and legal sections here, there isn't any research she couldn't do back in Fuyuki that she couldn't do here. Hell, with her family's materials on hand, she might do better there than here._

More importantly for Shirou though, now that things were coming to a conclusion here, he wanted to come to a conclusion himself. The only question left was…how?

" _I really should have planned for this better._ " He thought to himself, briefly looking up at the sky above. " _Though, it's not like I haven't tried to plan for it, otherwise I wouldn't have bought a ring and all but…how do I ask her? Do I just…go out and say it? And would she even say yes?_ "

Shirou blinked and shook his head at that. " _Of course she'll say yes,_ " he admonished himself. " _But…_ "

Shirou let the thought trail off and looked at sky again with a deep breath. "I guess," he muttered to himself before smiling. "I'll just have to make things up as they go, as usual."

* * *

The hall was filled to capacity, young men and women in prim and proper business attire from all departments in the Clock Tower seated before a stage. On the stage itself a baldheaded man dressed similarly to the younger magi solemnly gave a speech at the podium, while seated to the side behind him were several lords, one each representing their departments.

Apart from the young magi finishing their stint at General Fundamentals and who would be moving on to other departments or from the Clock Tower entirely, there were spectators and archivists, the former simply watching from seats provided at the sidelines. The latter though moved along the sides, the better to get perspectives from which to record images of the ceremony for documentation and other purposes.

"…you each carry this mission in your hearts," the bald magus continued. "For this historic Association…"

Rin Tohsaka fought the yawn that struggled to get out, and discreetly checked her wristwatch. " _This is getting tedious._ " She thought. " _At least one more hour left, damn it…_ "

As Rin expected, the ceremony would take another hour and then some to finish. At the end, the various magi dispersed, chattering amongst themselves about various topics, ranging from the mundane such as what they planned to do after the ceremony, or if they would attend tonight's celebration, and to the more serious, such as future prospects and plans.

"Tired?" a blonde young woman in an elaborate blue and white dress asked as she approached Rin, who'd taken off her coat and was now carrying it on an arm.

"I am, and I don't want to hear any comments about it." Rin said crossly, and loosening her collar. "And if you say you didn't get bored during your ceremony last year, I call bullshit."

"Language, Rin." Luviagelita 'Luvia' Edelfelt corrected. "You're an adult now, you should act the part. Not to mention…no, it's nothing."

"That sounds very interesting." Rin observed, walking alongside Luvia away from the hall. "What is it?"

"Oh nothing too important," Luvia said evasively. "Though, if you really want to know, it's connected to what I said before. You're an adult, and more than that, you are technically noble-born, and you should act the part. That's all there is to it."

Rin snorted, though there was no real malice in it. "Nobility is overrated." She said. "That said, you do have a point. Contrary to what most people think, just because one is now an adult, the responsibilities are by no means less than they were when one was a child. It's the opposite in fact."

Luvia nodded in agreement. "We need to live up to higher standards." She said before smiling at Rin. "So, will you be attending tonight's celebration?"

"I should, shouldn't I?" Rin said with a sigh. "I'd rather not, because it means putting up with even more…tedious, and vulgar speeches like the ones from earlier. Still…it's expected, of me, so I should go. Higher standards, right?"

Luvia smiled comfortingly. "Hang in there," she said. "I'm sure if I could pull it off last year, then you can do it too."

Rin snorted and laughed. "Yeah, I guess so." She said, smiling back at Luvia. "Well, I guess I'll just to think of it as just another sacrifice that needs to be done as part of being a magus. And it's not like fulfilling social obligations such as these don't bring rewards of their own, one way or another."

The two magi shared a laugh. "Too true," Luvia agreed with a nod. "And if nothing else, it's just a more…tedious, version of day to day interaction with our elders here at the tower."

"There is that too." Rin said with sigh. "Still, at least tonight I can bring Shirou along. Just him being there should make things less tiresome, and his eternal confidence – not that it's a bad thing – might make things more enjoyable than they would otherwise be."

Luvia giggled at that. "Yes," she said. "Shero has that effect, doesn't he?"

"Will you be coming tonight?"

"Unfortunately no," Luvia said. "Only for finishing General Fundamentals students, remember?"

"Oh right, sorry to hear that."

"I'm not."

Rin squawked in indignation, and Luvia chuckled and causing Rin to scoff. "Now, now," Luvia said. "There' no need to be so offended. You did say it was likely to be a tedious and tiring affair after all, and I completely agree. I have experience."

"So I did, and so you do." Rin agreed after a moment. "Still, having you and Shirou around tonight would make things even better."

"I'm flattered to hear that." Luvia said.

"Don't mock me." Rin admonished lightly, she and Luvia turning to head down a flight of stairs.

"No, really, I'm glad you find my company to be so enjoyable…especially considering how we used to…set each other off, a few years back."

"Yes well…we were young, then." Rin said with a sigh. "These days…we have to be more mature, don't we? Especially now, now that we're both considered fully-qualified magi."

"Quite," Luvia said with a sigh of her own. She and Rin stayed quiet until they reached another landing, and exiting the stairwell entered another corridor. "I suppose I rather miss those carefree days, with their friendly banter and arguments."

"Friendly, huh?"

"Yes, very friendly," Luvia said with a small smile. "Considering how actual battles between magi go…"

Rin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I see what you mean." She said with a sigh. "I'll…miss you, you know? And I'm sure Shirou will too, come tomorrow and the days after. I mean, even after you finished General Fundamentals and moved on to Mineralogy, to say nothing of the various jobs you have to take every so often that have you leaving the tower for up to months…we could at least meet up at the commons."

Luvia nodded slowly. "I'll miss you too." She said, before smiling at Rin. "Though, you could always stay, you know."

"Can't," Rin said with a shake of her head. "I have responsibilities as Fuyuki's Second Owner, and with Matou completely withered, there's no substitute present. I've been neglecting them while I'm here, and given my situation it's understandable, but still…I don't want risking any unnecessary trouble if I keep on neglecting them like I've been."

"Understandable," Luvia said with a nod. "And also…"

"Yup," Rin said with a nod. "My mother's also there, and she's been alone for years now. While I have kept in touch…"

"It's nothing compared to being there for her."

Rin nodded, before smiling at Luvia again. "Well," she said. "It's not like I won't be staying away forever, or I won't be keeping touch. The latter aside…well, I'm not planning on staying a mere Count forever. I plan to come back when I've got something to be promoted to Cause for."

"Don't sell yourself short." Luvia admonished Rin with a smile before drawing herself up. "My rival is smarter than that. I expect to see you promoted two ranks to Fes when you come back, and to have finished Shero's apprenticeship by then. Enough to get him certified as a Cause at least."

Rin snorted and laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence…and challenge accepted." She said. "And I'll pass that last bit on to Shirou. I'm sure he'll be very happy you think so highly of him."

Luvia shrugged. "As I said," she said with a smirk at Rin. "My rival is smarter than she makes herself out to be. And the same goes for her apprentice."

Rin laughed and nodded. "Noted." She said. "You will keep in touch, won't you?"

"Only if you do."

"And I will."

"Then there's your answer."

The two young women smiled at each other, and then with a sigh Rin faced front. "Alright then," she said. "Shall we go and meet up with Shirou? I think we still have some time for tea before we have to get busy for tonight. Unless you have to something to attend to right now."

"No, I'm free."

"Then shall we?"

"Yes."

* * *

The tunes of Handel's Harp Concerto in B flat major tinkled through the air, mingling with the sound of many voices speaking and laughing. The hall was filled with the same magi from the ceremony earlier in the afternoon, and many others besides: administrators, lords, relatives, apprentices and senior magi among others. They clustered together into cliques and the like, or mingled with one another, or sampled the foods laid out on the buffet table or partook of the liquor bar set up in one corner of the hall. Some danced in the middle of the hall, others looking on while making polite comments that went one way or another.

Shirou wandered down one side of the hall, viewing the pictorial of the current batch of magi who'd finished their time at the Department of General Fundamentals, or rather, those who wouldn't be staying. Some would be staying, and they weren't included, their magecraft still within the purview of the department.

Others, however…

…staying at General Fundamentals would just hinder their progress, and they'd be best suited to move on to other departments, where their talents would be better supported.

Shirou came to a halt, eyes fixing on Rin's picture on the wall, dressed in a black-trimmed formal dress of rich red, her hair elaborately-curled into ringlets for the pictorial. The faint but friendly smile on her face in the picture brought an amused smile to Shirou's face, as he remembered the heated argument between Rin and Luvia over the former being satisfied with something less than…appropriate, in the latter's eyes.

 _You cannot take a pictorial dressed simply like a well-to-do commoner. You are more than that, Rin!_

Shirou chuckled and shook his head. In the end Rin had caved in, if only because Luvia had flattered her pride. For his part, Shirou didn't particularly think that Rin's thrifty ways were of any real concern, if anything considering how wealthy she actually was it was a good attitude to have. But, sometimes…he had to admit, she had to _spend_ the part.

 _She's not like me, after all. I'm very lucky to get so close to her, normally I…_

… _I wouldn't stand a chance. I'm really…really lucky, to have her…and…_

… _I…_

"Looking at your girlfriend's picture, I see."

Shirou blinked at the amused voice, turned and smiled at one of his friends. "You've caught me hands down, Rupert." Shirou said with a laugh.

Rupert Michelson, a third-generation magus from the United States laughed as he stepped forward, and shaking Shirou's offered hand. "Congratulations!" the redhead said.

The blonde nodded. "Thank you." Rupert said.

Shirou nodded. "It's off to the Department of Celestial Bodies next, isn't it?" he asked.

"It is." Rupert said with a nod before tilting his head. "But you and Rin are going back to Japan, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we are." Shirou said with a nod. "The territory needs looking after, after all, and Rin's been gone for a long time. And besides, her family's materials are there, and what she needs from the Association, she's already arranged for."

Rupert nodded and smiled. "But of course," he said. "As her boyfriend, you'd be coming back with her."

Shirou laughed, and scratching a cheek nodded. "Unofficially," he said with a wink, and prompting a laugh from Rupert. "Officially…well, I am her apprentice."

Rupert nodded, before turning serious. "By the way," he began. "Have you…?"

Shirou nodded, and reaching into a suit pocket pulled out a velvet box. "I was actually thinking of asking her tonight, but…" Shirou said only to trail off.

"But what?"

"Eh…" Shirou hesitated, and scratched his cheek. "How…how do you go about that?"

"Ah…sorry man, but I can't help you there." Rupert said with a wave of his hand. "And besides, this is the kind of thing every man has to do on their own, can't really help you even if I had experience."

"That's not fair." Shirou grouched. "I mean…never mind…"

Shirou sighed and shook his head. "Sorry," he said. "I forgot, you and Jessica…"

"Nah, it's fine." Rupert said with another wave of his hand. "And to be honest, me and Jessica got lucky that we work so well together. In many cases, arranged marriages…it's just a case of popping out an heir and a spare, and putting up with someone you don't particularly care about for the rest of your life."

Shirou nodded glumly, the two friends standing in companionable silence for several moments. "Speaking of which," Shirou began. "Is Jessica here?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, she's here." Rupert said with a nod before looking out over the crowd. "She's just mingling around."

Shirou nodded, and put the velvet box back inside his pocket. "Well," he said. "Whether tonight or tomorrow, I'll ask her, even if I have to just make it up as I go. Which isn't really that unusual for me, is it?"

Rupert laughed. "Guess it isn't." he said, sharing another laugh with Shirou afterwards. "Good luck. I doubt she'd say no, but…even so, you never know when you might need just that tiny bit of luck. Wouldn't want anything ruining the big moment, would you?"

"Guess I don't." Shirou said with a laugh, gesturing at a nearby server. The man approached, and Shirou took two glasses of champagne, handing one to Rupert as the server left with a bow, and with a nod Shirou raised his glass. "Thanks for the support, Rupert."

"Hey," Rupert said with a shrug, and returning the toast. "What are friends for?"

Shirou grinned, and gently knocking their glasses together drank them as one.

* * *

"Shame we wouldn't be seeing you around after tonight, Rin." Mina von Anhalt said sadly.

"Unfortunately," Rin began with a shrug. "Duty calls. I am the Second Owner of the territory back home. Maybe if the Matou Clan hadn't died out, things would be different, but as it stands the territory's been left on its own for far too long. Can't have that, can we now?"

"No, you can't." Zoe Weinstein said with a nod. "Still, it's a shame."

"That it is." Rin agreed. "I'll admit, the Clock Tower took some getting used to, and I had to live up to a lot of expectations but…once I managed to settle in, I really enjoyed my time here. But, that's life."

"What we want in life and what we get are two different things." Agnes Summer said with a nod. "Still, you'll be coming back every so often, won't you? I mean, it's not like you're giving up being a magus are you? So, publishing your research and findings, patenting new developments and things like that…you have to do them here, don't you?"

"Of course I'm not giving up magecraft." Rin said with a mock air of haughtiness. "My father would roll in his grave if he did…but in all seriousness, well…I'll admit it's hard. And there are times…when I think about…what I have to do for the sake of my family's legacy…and I wonder if I should just give it up. But then when I think about all the effort and sacrifices I've put into coming this far…I decide I can't give up."

"What's the point in coming this far just to give up, and when things were just getting serious too," Zoe said. "Is that it?"

"Pretty much." Rin said with a shrug, and prompting smiles from her friends. "And besides, it's not like the rewards aren't worth the hardship. That sense of wonder when you learn about and how to do wonders and mysteries that no else can know or do…it's simply amazing, and makes you want to know more. You understand right?"

"Oh yes," Agnes said with a laugh. "Like my dad says, it's an insatiable thirst to know more."

"Of course," Mina said. "We have to draw a line somewhere."

"That's heresy." Zoe quipped, and the girls laughed.

"No seriously," Mina said after a few moments of laughter. "There are lines we can't and shouldn't cross. I mean…yeah, as magi we shouldn't hesitate to do things and to go where others won't for the sake of our research but…what's the point when you look back and only end up looking away in shame?"

The other girls looked at each other uncomfortably, but Rin was nodding. "I think I get what you mean." She said. "It's been five years since the Fifth Holy Grail War, but sometimes, I still get nightmares. Nightmares at what Matou's desperate last throw of the dice involved. And Einzbern…"

Rin trailed off, closing her eyes briefly and shaking her head. "I think what Mina is trying to say is that as magi, we should be responsible in our pursuit of knowledge." Rin finally said. "As that ancient piece of wisdom from Delphi once went, know thyself."

Mina nodded her thanks at Rin, the other girls nodding their heads in understanding. "I suppose that's true." Agnes said. "No point in pulling a stunt that's only going to end up biting you in the ass, and might not even be worth what you get from it."

"In short," Zoe said. "Make sure the risk is worth what you're getting from it."

"If it is, go for it." Rin agreed with a nod. "Magi walk with death after all. What's the risk if what you get from it is worth so much? But if not…"

"My thoughts exactly." Mina said before sipping at her champagne.

* * *

"So, did you enjoy yourself tonight?"

Rin and Shirou walked down the streets of London well past midnight, back towards their shared apartment away from the Clock Tower. Though it was already spring, it was still quite cold, and so Rin was wearing Shirou's coat on top of her dress.

"Depends," Rin said with a shrug. "The food and drink were good, and my friends were there, so I certainly enjoyed that part."

"But…?"

Rin snorted and smiled at Shirou. "The speeches at the start, and all those toasts during the dinner service," she said. "You have to admit they're quite tedious."

Shirou chuckled. "I…guess they were." He hesitantly said.

"Always trying to see the best of others, don't you?" Rin asked with a smile. "That's just like you."

"Is it really so bad?"

"No," Rin said with a shake of her head. "I think it's a good trait to have, and only bad when taken too far."

"Well, I guess I can't argue with you there."

The couple shared a laugh at that, and then continued on their way in silence for several minutes. Rin tunelessly hummed to herself as they went, while Shirou played with the velvet box in his pocket. As they reached an intersection and waited for the light to turn green, Shirou took a deep breath, and decided to go all in.

 _Might as well._

"Hey," he began. "How long have we known each other?"

"Huh?" Rin asked, looking at him in surprise. "What's this all of a sudden?"

"Nothing really, just…curious."

"Hmm," Rin hummed to herself in thought as they crossed the street. "Well, we kind of knew about each other in high school, but we…only, really knew each other and, well, got together, just before our last year. So about five, six years, maybe?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought too."

Rin blinked and tilted her head. "Hey," she said. "What's this all about, really?"

Shirou took another deep breath, and came to a halt, facing Rin. Rin did likewise, looking at Shirou in uncomprehending confusion. Shirou stayed silent for a moment, silently fumbling with his hand in one pocket. "It's just that…" he began. "You…well, we, we're finished here with the Clock Tower. I mean, yeah, we'll still have an involvement with the Association and all that, you'll still be coming back every so often and…"

Shirou broke off as he realized he was rambling, and took another deep breath. "Sorry," he said. "I mean…with this part of our lives over, kind of like…graduating, from college, I wanted to…I wanted to bring things to a conclusion."

"C-c-conclusion?" Rin echoed, and then she gasped and took a step back as Shirou pulled the velvet box out of his pocket, opening it to reveal the electrum and diamond ring resting inside.

"S-sorry," he said, looking sideways at the ground with his cheeks pink with a blush. "I…I don't really know how to properly do this and all, but I…"

Shirou broke off and looked in surprise at Rin at the sound of sniffling, and his mouth fell open at the sight of her crying. "S-s-sorry!" he quickly apologized. "I just…"

"S-stop apologizing, you i-i-idiot!" Rin burst out, rubbing her eyes. "I…I'm just…I'm just so happy…I…"

"So…" Shirou began. "Will you marry me? I…I don't really have much compared to you, and as a magus I'm probably not the best choice but…!"

Whatever else Shirou had to say was cut off as Rin threw herself at him in a crushing embrace. "Idiot," she said, crying into his shoulder, and smiling as she felt Shirou return her embrace. "I don't care about that. I've told you before, so many times, haven't I? I love you, so…so…I…I'll marry you, you stupid idiot!"

Shirou grinned, at the typical response, and breathed a sigh of relief and happiness as she stepped back. "I love you too." He said, and Rin smiled before closing her eyes and leaning forward.

And without any hesitation, Shirou closed his eyes, and pulling Rin close, kissed her on the lips.

* * *

A/N

To my readers, this story is and will remain Rin x Shirou, no matter what. It will not change, no matter how the central conflict will develop.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Chapter 2

Rin slowly blinked awake, shifting under the sheets and causing them to rub in a pleasing fashion against her nude body. As she rolled onto her back, limbs languidly stretching overhead, she rubbed against another nude and warm form sharing her bed, and prompting Rin to glance with a smile at her boyfriend sleeping next to her. No, not boyfriend. Not anymore…

…fiancé now.

Smile growing wider, Rin glanced at the clock next to her bed, and scowled. It was still an hour before she'd planned to wake, but the scowl quickly turned back into a smile as she caught sight of the velvet box sitting next to the clock. She didn't hesitate to reach out, open the box, and smile wider as she slipped the engagement ring on her finger.

Warmth filled her chest as she stared at the ring glittering on her finger, knowing from the sight that she and Shirou would never be apart now. He'd taken the next step, and she'd stepped up beside him. And neither of them were the kind to back down after having stepped forward like this, or for that matter, to have done so without first knowing and more importantly _understanding_ what it meant.

 _We belong to each other now, and nothing will change that. He's_ _ **mine**_ _. And I'm_ _ **his**_ _._

They'd be tested, and there would be troubles and hardships to come, and they might swing back and forth away from each other over the years to come but…

…they would get through it. It wasn't like them not to. They'd bend but they wouldn't break. It was how they'd always been, and always would be. Alone…or together…they were a perfect match for each other.

… _good gods…I'm…I'm thinking like a love-struck girl…but then again…aren't I one?_

Rin blinked, and then giggled girlishly as she felt Shirou put an arm around her, Rin curling up against him. "What is it?" he asked, still somewhat sleepily.

"Nothing too important," Rin said happily. "Well…not really…I'm just so happy, that's all."

"I'm glad to hear that." Shirou said, kissing her shoulder and nuzzling her neck. "I only want to make you as happy as you can be."

Rin giggled again. "You already have." She said, half-turning towards him, their lips briefly meeting. "But I'm sure you can go even further, can't you?"

Shirou smiled, and kissed Rin again. "I'll do my best." He said. "So, no worries, I guess."

Rin giggled, and turning to face Shirou pulled him closer to eagerly kiss him some more. Shirou met her efforts with his own, half-draping himself over her, and the feel of something hot and firm down below caused Rin to giggle and to smile sultrily at him as they pulled back to catch their breath. "Eager, aren't we?" she asked with a wink. "Well, we have time, and I wouldn't mind some loving. How about you?"

A possessive growl from Shirou was met with more giggling from Rin, followed by other, more…intimate, sounds from the couple.

* * *

A few hours later, and that same couple were rushing through the crowded and busy terminal of Heathrow Airport, racing against time towards their plane's assigned gate. "There it is!" Shirou said to Rin as they ran.

"I see it!" Rin said, picking up the pace.

Shirou did likewise, and after several moments finally arrived at the gate. "Did we make it?" Rin asked a politely smiling flight attendant.

"Yes ma'am." The attendant said, taking her and Shirou's boarding passes. Confirming them with a glance, she and her companion waved Shirou and Rin through the gate, the couple breathing normally as they walked through the gate and thence the boarding tube at a more normal, if still quick, pace.

Reaching the plane, another flight attendant took a look at their tickets, and directed them to another flight attendant, who then showed them to their assigned seats in the Business Class section. "Made it…" Rin breathed as she took the window seat, Shirou stowing their carry-ons overheard. "And barely in time, from the look of things. We should really have left earlier…"

Shirou smiled and shrugged at that, before securely closing the overhead compartment. "We _could_ have left earlier," he said with a rare (for him) teasing tone in his voice, and taking his seat next to her. "But we were kind of busy, weren't we?"

"And whose fault is that, I wonder?"

Shirou laughed. "Well," he said. "You didn't mind, and neither did I, so…both of us?"

Rin's cheeks turned pink and she scoffed, but after a moment she smiled and shrugged. "I…guess, I can accept that…" she said, before sharing a laugh with Shirou.

Sitting back in their seats, the two sat in silence for a few minutes before they felt the boarding tube disconnect itself from the plane, followed moments later by an announcement from their pilot that their plane would now be taxiing out in preparation for takeoff once the control tower gave the all-clear. Flight attendants deftly moved through the cabin, assisting passengers with their seatbelts, and double-checking the overhead compartments.

"You alright over there?" Shirou asked, as he buckled his seatbelt.

"Obviously," Rin said, already buckling her own seatbelt.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"It's fine." Rin said with a smile. "You're just being concerned, so it's alright."

Shirou nodded and sat back in his seat again, Rin doing likewise. For another few minutes they sat in silence, the plane slowly backing away from the terminal and taxiing out onto the tarmac, and taking its place in the queue of planes waiting to takeoff. As the plane slowed to a halt, Rin glanced out the plane's window and sighed. "That sounded heavy." Shirou said. "Something wrong?"

"I was hoping we could pass by the duty-free, and pick up some souvenirs for mom and our friends back home." Rin said with another sigh. "Unfortunately…"

"Yeah, I see what you mean." Shirou said with a sigh before brightening up. "Well, look on the bright side. There's also a duty-free at Itami, and seeing as we'll be arriving around…six or so, in the morning, so we can spend some time there before taking the bullet train to Fukuoka."

"That's true." Rin said with a slow nod before sighing. "That said, I do wish there was a direct flight from London to Fuyuki available, instead of us having to take a side-trip to Itami at Osaka…"

Rin trailed off and sighed again. "It can't be helped, can it?" Shirou said, taking Rin's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Guess not," Rin said with a sigh, and Shirou squeezed her hand again before falling silent for several moments.

"Hey,"

"Hmm?"

"While we're waiting for the plane to takeoff," Shirou began. "How about drawing up a list of things to buy for everybody?"

"…good idea, that should save time and effort when we get there." Rin said before blinking and realizing something. "But we don't have anything to write…oh what am I saying? I've got better memory than that."

Shirou chuckled. "Yeah, we do, don't we?" he said. "So…first, there's Aunt Aoi. What should we buy her?"

"It's mom now, not aunt, remember?" Rin said with a wink, and flashing her engagement ring.

Shirou blinked and laughed. "Right, right," he said, Rin smiling at him. "So, what should we buy for…mom?"

"Chocolates, I guess. _Expensive_ chocolate, though everyone gets those." Rin said. "But, that can't be all we buy for them, or mom especially."

"Hmm…coffee, maybe? Tea?"

"Why not both?"

Shirou nodded in agreement. "So chocolates, coffee, and tea for mom." He said. "Okay…that'll do, I guess. She doesn't need a new oven or anything of that sort, and clothes and accessories...any idea of her preferences?"

"Some," Rin admitted. "We'll see when we get there…oh damn, I don't know her sizes."

"Ah, that's a shame," Shirou said with a sigh. "So clothes and shoes are off the table. Okay, we can work with that…accessories? No wait, a-mom, doesn't seem the flashy type."

"That said, she would appreciate them." Rin said thoughtfully before shaking her head. "No, no, it might seem too much like a…dowry payment, if we buy her something expensive, and tell her afterwards that we're getting married. I mean…mom, or her family, received a dowry payment when she married my dad but…"

"Bad memories, huh?"

Rin was silent for a few moments, and then she sighed. "M…our calling, is a heavy burden to bear." She said softly. "It's cost my family so much…too much. If mom wasn't there…or you…then…I…"

Rin trailed off, her expression and eyes bitter, and at the sight Shirou didn't hesitate to pull Rin into a tight embrace, which she made no effort to get out of. "It's alright, I'm here." He said softly to her. "And I always will be. So you don't have to bear it alone anymore. And we'll do things differently, won't we?"

Rin nodded against her fiancé. "Yes," she whispered. "We will."

* * *

It was already past four in the afternoon of the following day that Shirou and Rin finally came home to Fuyuki. Their plane had surprisingly – given Heathrow's _incredibly_ -busy airspace – taken off on time, at about ten in the morning. Including a stopover at Frankfurt, it was fourteen hours to Itami Airport at Osaka, their plane landing at about six in the morning thanks to the changing time zones.

Checking out, breakfast and shopping would see them take the 10 A.M. bullet train from Osaka to Fukuoka and passing through Kobe, Hiroshima, and Kitakyushu before arriving around one in the afternoon. Buying a light lunch on the go, it was another three hours by train from Fukuoka to Fuyuki, and about twenty minutes taking a taxi from the train station to Rin's house.

"Your mom knows we're coming, right?" Shirou asked as he pulled their luggage from the taxi's cargo compartment.

"Of course she does." Rin said, walking over after paying the taxi driver. "And what do you mean by my mom? She's your mom now too."

Shirou blinked, and chuckled. "Sorry," he said, closing the compartment and gesturing at the driver, who drove off to park just a short distance down the street. "It's taking a bit to get used to. Though…I suppose having someone to call 'mom' after so long without one…is a good change."

"It is, isn't it?" Rin said, stepping closer. Shirou blinked, and then smiled as Rin closed her eyes and slightly stuck her chin out. Pulling her closer, Shirou cheerfully kissed Rin on the lips, the couple losing themselves in each other until a familiar voice coughed not far away, and causing them to jump away from each other.

"My, my," Aoi Tohsaka said with a giggle, standing to one side of the gate. "The two of you seem to have become much closer while you've been away, I see."

Rin and Shirou laughed nervously, both their cheeks pink. Aoi giggled again. "That said," she gently chided. "Don't get too carried away now."

"Yes, mom." Rin said with a nod, Shirou also giving a nod of his own. "I…I'm home."

Aoi nodded with a warm smile. "Welcome home." She said. "Shall we go in?"

"Yes." Rin said with a nod, Shirou looking at her after a moment.

"You go on ahead," he told her. "I'll follow after I bring the luggage in."

"Okay."

Rin and Aoi went on ahead into the Tohsaka mansion, Aoi heading to the kitchen to prepare some tea while Rin took a short walk around the living room, nostalgically taking in the sights and smells and feels of home. For his part, Shirou busied himself as he said he would, bringing in their luggage but leaving it neatly piled against the wall of the foyer. Aoi glanced curiously at that, and proceeded to the living room.

"Rin," she began, setting down the tea set on the table. "Why is Shirou-kun just leaving the luggage in the foyer? I imagine there's a good reason for it, he's not the kind to just leave things lying around if he can help it. If anything, he'd have brought yours to your room, and what needs going there to the library and the workshop."

"Hmm?" Rin said, walking over to take a seat. "Oh yeah, that…um, well, I was thinking, we'd go out for dinner tonight."

"Oh?" Aoi said, looking at Rin in surprise. "Are we celebrating something?"

"Is my homecoming not worth celebrating?"

Aoi chuckled. "Of course it is," she said. "But I was thinking we'd have sukiyaki tonight, and in fact I'd already bought the ingredients. Though, I suppose if you've already made reservations, they could keep until lunch tomorrow. Still, I wish you'd have told me earlier."

"Sorry about that," Rin said with a nervous laugh. "It's just that…"

Rin trailed off as Shirou entered the room. Whatever he was going to say died on his lips as he met Rin's questioning eyes, and after a moment he smiled and nodded. Rin smiled back and nodded as well, before she turned back to her mother, who clearly had noticed their nonverbal exchange. "Mom," Rin began as Shirou took a seat beside her, and taking her hand caused Aoi's eyes to widen. "Shirou and I have something to tell you. That is, we…"

Rin paused, taking a deep breath, and glancing once at Shirou raised her right hand, her engagement ring flashing in the light. "We're getting married!" she said.

Aoi didn't say anything for a long while, just sitting on her couch with a smile, and then slowly turned to face Shirou. Their eyes met, a silent question in the older woman's eyes even as Shirou met them with quiet determination. Finally, she spoke.

"Will you take care of my daughter, Shirou-kun?" Aoi asked. "Will you make her happy? Will you be there when she needs you to be? Will you stand by her no matter what, and give her the love and affection that she deserves?"

Rin blushed at her mother's words, but Shirou just drew himself up, and after a moment stood. "Yes," he said. "I'll take good care of your daughter, and make her as happy as she can possibly be. I'll never allow her to feel alone, forsaken, and unloved, no matter what. So, please entrust your daughter to me."

Shirou bowed formally, and Rin blushed even harder. After a moment Aoi rose, and walking over to Shirou, took his hand and beamed. "Then," she said. "Welcome to the family, Shirou-kun."

Shirou straightened, and smiling back at Aoi turned back to Rin, who smiled the happiest he had ever seen her at him. And he would do everything to make her even happier from now on as well.

* * *

"Italian, I see." Aoi said as Shirou helped her out of the taxi that had taken them from the Tohsaka property to their reservation for the evening. "Well, it's been a while I suppose."

"It's the same for us, actually." Shirou said. "Even in London, Italian isn't something that you can eat every day."

"I see."

The trio went up the front desk, Rin giving her name and leading a waiter to guide them to a reserved booth where he bowed them to their seats. The waiter then distributed menus, and bowed again before leaving them to make their choices for the evening in peace. "So," Shirou said. "What'll it be?"

"Cheese and Garlic is a classic choice for a pizza." Aoi noted. "Eleven inches?"

"Yes, I think that'll do for the pizza." Rin said with a nod. "Do you want Carbonara or Bolognese sauce?"

"Carbonara," Shirou said firmly, and Aoi nodded her agreement.

"Carbonara it is then," Rin said with a chuckle. "So we have pizza and pasta…what about appetizers? They have oysters."

Aoi giggled. "Oysters, is it?" she said. "Will you be staying over tonight, Shirou-kun?"

Shirou looked surprised and confused for a few moments, and then he abruptly turned beet-red in realization, as did Rin. "T-t-that's not what I…!" she spluttered out, and Aoi laughed again.

"I'm just teasing you two." She said, laughing again as Rin and Shirou lowered their faces. "If you want oysters, go ahead. Though…"

Aoi trailed off as the waiter returned, placing a basket of freshly-baked bread on the table along with a deep saucer. Aoi nodded at the man as he left, and taking a bottle on the table poured some olive oil on the saucer provided. "This is an appetizer in itself, isn't it?" she asked, replacing the olive oil before adding vinegar to the oil she's already poured.

"Well, that's true, I suppose." Rin murmured before glancing at Shirou, who just shrugged.

"Up to you." He said.

"That's not really very helpful, you know." She said crossly before sighing. "Well, we're supposed to be celebrating tonight, so…yes, I think I'll order a serving of oysters as well. So…we have pizza, pasta, and appetizers. Salad?"

"Caesar?" Aoi prompted.

"Another classic choice," Rin agreed. "Okay…wait, what about drinks?"

"Well you're not children anymore," Aoi said. "And this is an Italian restaurant so…I say we should have a bottle of Italian White between the three of us."

"That sounds good." Shirou agreed with a nod. "And apart from that, we can just get house water."

Aoi and Rin nodded. "Shall we order then?" the latter asked.

"Okay."

"Yes, let's."

Rin gestured for a waiter's attention, the waiter from earlier rushing over. "We'll have one order of baked oysters," Rin began. "Then one order of Caesar's Salad, one order of Creamy Bacon Carbonara, one eleven-inch Cheese and Garlic pizza, and a bottle of Italian White."

"Very good, ma'am." The waiter said, listing down their orders. "Would you like dessert to go with that?"

"Hmm…after we finish the main course, we'll come back to that."

"Very good, ma'am." The waiter said with a nod. "About your wine, do you have any preferences?"

"We'll have what's recommended for our orders."

"Very good, ma'am." The waiter said again. "Repeating your orders: that's one order of baked oysters, one order of Caesar's Salad, one order of Creamy Bacon Carbonara, one eleven-inch Cheese and Garlic pizza, and a bottle of Italian White. Any additions or corrections?"

"No, that's fine thank you."

"Very good ma'am." The waiter said with a bow. "Expect your orders to be delivered to the table within twenty minutes, we apologize for the inconvenience."

Rin nodded, and with another bow the waiter left. "I hope the appetizer gets here quickly though." She remarked once the waiter was out of earshot.

"The bread is good." Aoi said, already breaking one of the bread provided, and dipped it in the vinegar-olive oil mix she'd poured out earlier. "It's warm, neither too soft nor too hard, and freshly-baked."

Shirou nodded as he too took a bite of the bread. "Oh wow," he said. "This is really good."

"It's an Italian restaurant, what did you expect?" Rin said, also enjoying the bread. "It's a given they make good bread."

"That's true."

They ate in silence for several more moments, and then the waiter arrived with three wineglasses, and a frosted bottle of wine. The man distributed the glasses, and placing the bottle on the table, opened it before pouring the contents into their glasses. With another bow he left, Aoi taking her glass and raising it in a toast to Rin and Shirou.

"Congratulations, you two." She said. "I hope you have a long and happy life together."

"Thank you, mom." Rin said, also raising her wineglass. "And I hope you get to share it with us for a long while yet."

"Agreed," Shirou said before blushing slightly. "And…if it isn't too much to ask, is it alright if I start calling you…well, mom as well?"

Aoi laughed. "Of course it is." she said, and Shirou chuckled. Their glasses met, and they drank.

"Good stuff," Shirou said.

"Yes, it is." Rin agreed.

Aoi nodded. "So," she said. "How were things at the Clock Tower?"

"It was hard at first, though it got easier along the way." Rin said.

"Oh?"

"Well, the Association has…double-standards, for Asians." Rin said with a sigh. "Understandable, even if it's by no means right. Still, I could complain about it, or I could earn acceptance…and once I met the standard, I did just that."

"That's good to hear," Aoi said with a nod. "But what about Shirou-kun?"

Shirou smiled ruefully. "Well, I'm Rin's apprentice, so I kind of…piggy-backed, on her." He said. "I mean, I did my part of course, but that was the circumstance that came with being her apprentice. And in any case, I'm a specialist, so…I think…my circumstances, were a little different."

"They were." Rin agreed. "Orthodox magecraft isn't something you'll ever be good at, no matter how hard you try, at least outside of theory. You did quite well there, so you earned yourself ample time to prove yourself when it comes to your specialization."

Shirou nodded, as did Aoi. "It's good to hear you both managed to get past the unfortunate biases you had to face while at London." She said. "And I imagine you did quite well."

"Not as well as I hoped." Rin said with a sigh. "I'm still just a Count after all, only one rank up from Flame, the lowest rank at the Association."

"Big things have small beginnings." Shirou said, before smiling at Rin and taking and squeezing her hand. "It'll be fine. I'm sure the next time we or you go back to London, you'll do more than just make up for lost time. Fes…isn't it?"

"Yes, Fes." Rin said with a nod. "Though, I'm also hoping for a color of my own by then, and ultimately, to become a Pride, higher than dad's rank. I'm sure, he'd have wanted me to surpass him, and he'd never be prouder if I did. Even more so, if I get a color on top of it."

"Yes," Aoi said wistfully. "He would have."

Aoi briefly closed her eyes, and took a sip of her wine. Rin and Shirou stayed silent as well, Rin nibbling on some bread for a few moments before Aoi spoke up again. "What about you, Shirou-kun?" she asked. "I imagine you have rank of your own as well?"

"I'm still a Flame." Shirou said with a shrug. "I don't mind. All it means is I just have to keep working and studying hard to get better, and earn a higher rank, doesn't it?"

Aoi nodded. "That's a good attitude." She said. "My husband would have approved too."

Shirou blushed slightly and nodded his thanks for the compliment. "Academics aside though," Aoi said. "Did you make any new friends while you were there?"

"Yes, we did." Shirou said with a nod. "It took a while to break the ice, but we managed to do it eventually. Though in my case the closest friend I have there, Rupert Michelson, approached me quickly enough."

"Rupert's a third-generation." Rin said. "No shame in that of course, but more to the point, it'd be really hypocritical of him to follow the biases so present in the Clock Tower, considering he himself is the target of some of them, coming from such a young lineage himself."

"In short," Aoi said. "Since Michelson knows what's it's like to be looked down upon, he should know better than to look down on others."

"Exactly,"

"I wouldn't go that far." Shirou protested. "Rupert's just really friendly, and not just as a magus. He's a great guy by nature."

"Well, I suppose if you say so then he is." Rin said.

"What about you though, Rin?" Aoi asked.

"Well, if I had to say which of the friends I made there were as close to me as Rupert was to Shirou, there's…"

Rin trailed off as the waiter arrived, bringing with him their order of baked oysters. "Should we continue or…?" Rin asked.

"The food's already here, so let's enjoy it first before it gets cold." Aoi said, and Shirou nodded in agreement.

"Alright then,"

* * *

"You sure you don't want to do this tomorrow morning?" Shirou asked as he stacked a couple of boxes and lifted them up, to carry them down to the workshop.

"Let's give our food a chance to digest before heading off to bed." Rin said, also carrying a couple of boxes herself. "I'd rather not get bothered by indigestion so soon after coming home."

"Fair enough."

The family had gone straight home after dinner, though not after enjoying some fruit sorbet for dessert. Shirou and Rin had split the bill between them, and while Aoi was nursing some tea at the living room, Shirou and Rin fixed their luggage. Rin's personal stuff was carried to her room, while Shirou had left his in the foyer, to take them back to his house tomorrow morning.

While he would be moving in after he and Rin got married, that was still months away, and he didn't want to look as though he was taking advantage of the situation. After helping Rin put away her clothes and other things, they'd gone back down to start carrying their Thaumaturgy materials from London into the workshop and library.

"Clean," Shirou observed as he and Rin entered the workshop.

"Mom cleans this place regularly, seeing as she's keyed into…"

Rin trailed off, causing Shirou to look at her curiously. Putting the boxes she'd been carrying on a table in the middle of the room, Rin looked around with a slightly-confused and suspicious air. "What's wrong?" Shirou asked.

"Something's not right." Rin said softly. "Almost as if…there's something…missing…where's my chest?"

"Chest?"

"My family's heirloom chest." Rin said with mounting horror. "My ancestor Nagato received it from the Wizard Marshal himself…."

Rin trailed off, running over to the desk and then the stacks of materials around the room. "What's going on here?" she muttered. "Missing…missing…also missing…"

Rin stepped back, looking around her in horror. "Things have been taken from the workshop." She said. "The chest…mystic codes…papers, diagrams, notes and the like…gone…but where? How? Who?"

"Rin," Shirou began, walking closer and placing calming hands on her shoulders. "Calm down. You need to think clearly, and you can't do that if you're all worked up."

Rin glared at him, but Shirou just met her gaze without flinching. Taking a deep breath, Rin forced herself to calm down, and nodded a couple of times. "Yes," she said. "Yes, you're right. I need to think clearly about this. Panicking isn't going to achieve anything."

Shirou nodded and stepped back. "Maybe your mom put them someplace else?" he asked.

"Why would she do that? And where would she put them?" Rin asked, and Shirou shrugged.

"I don't know." He said. "The library, maybe?"

Rin nodded slowly. "Maybe," she said, and quickly strode out of the workshop towards the library, Shirou trailing after her. Making their way to the library, Rin gasped in shock and horror the moment she turned the lights on.

"What's…" Shirou began only to trail off in horror himself. Even at first glance, it was clear that something had gone terribly wrong: entire sections were _missing_ from the shelves, and in the next breath Rin was rushing forward.

"No…no…no…damn it!"

Rin raged, punching the wall hard. "We've been robbed!" she snarled. "Someone's been here, inside my house, and stolen my family's secrets!"

"No way!"

Rin grit her teeth, accessing the bounded fields, and just as suspected, they recorded a magical presence here in the past…years ago, but definitely here. They'd spent quite some time here too, no doubt using that time to peruse her family's secrets at their leisure, find what they needed, and ultimately abscond with them.

" _But how?_ " Rin raged. " _How could they have gotten through the bounded fields? Not just the ones around the house, but also the ones protecting the library and workshop? They're intact…they weren't broken…but that could only mean…_ "

"Is something wrong here?" Aoi said, entering the library with an expression of concern. "I heard raised voices."

Rin slowly looked at her with an expression of betrayal. " _The bounded fields…the other magical presence…_ " she thought. " _There was one other person in this house at the time, and they stayed with the intruder…mom…why…did…did you…why would you…no…_ "

Rin swallowed dryly, and forced herself to think. It was likely the thief used her mother to enter the bounded fields with no trouble whatsoever, but that didn't mean she'd betrayed Rin and the family. At least…

…not consciously…

…she was no magus after all. No magic circuits of her own, for all that her sorcery trait allowed her to birth children with exceptional magical potential. And without magic circuits…

…she was defenseless against mental interference.

Betrayal turned to burning fury. How dare they violate her mother's mind? Bad enough they'd broken into her home, and stolen what had taken her family generations to learn through great sacrifice…but her _mother_ …

 _They'd pay!_

"What is it?" Aoi asked, and to her surprise Rin placed a hand on her. "Rin what are you…"

"Sorry mom," Rin said, her magic crest coming to life. "But this might hurt a bit."

"Rin, what are…" Aoi and Shirou began, but Rin cut them off, already having noticed an incredibly subtle and complex spell wrapped around her mother's memories and perceptions.

 _Damn them. This shouldn't take too long, but still…_

… _damn it…damn it all…_

" _Ich lasse dich vom Zauber los._ " She said, quickly following the spell's conceptual framework and noting how for its complexity it all branched out from a single line, a critical weakness in what was otherwise an academically-brilliant work of spellcraft.

The spell collapsed, and staggered Aoi who cried out and fell back, clutching at her head. "Rin!" Shirou said, running up to her. "What did you do?"

"Someone messed with my mother's mind." Rin snarled, stepping closer to Aoi. "I set her free. Mom? Do…do you…"

Aoi nodded slowly, breathing hard. "I…I remember…" she said, running a hand over her face. "I'm sorry Rin…I really am."

"It's alright," Rin reassured her, and taking her mother's arm. "It's not your fault, I know. But, the one behind…"

Words failed Rin as she felt another spell going active, drawing in mana from the environment and causing her eyes to go wide in realization. The previous spell was deliberately given a weakness…a tripwire, to trigger another spell as a failsafe.

 _Oh no! A system trap?_

But it was already too late, the spell moving as fast as thought itself and latching onto specific concepts and other identifiers among Aoi's memories, and crushed them to nothing. The woman screamed, holes appearing through her memories, flailing free of Rin to clutch at her head. As Rin and Shirou looked on in horror, Aoi's screaming reached a crescendo, her back arching like a bow before she abruptly collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

" **MOM!** " Rin screamed, running forward to fall next to her mother, and pulling her close. Aoi's eyes fluttered open, and her face twisted as though struggling to remember while focusing on Rin's face.

"R-Rin…your name…your name is…Rin…is your name Rin…I…I…"

Words failed Aoi as she fainted, and Rin shook her head from side to side in denial.

"No…NO… **NO! MOTHER!** "

* * *

A/N

Association ranks from lowest to highest: Flame, Count, Cause, Fes, Pride, Brand, and Grand. Canon examples include Touko Aozaki and Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia as Grand, Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi as a Brand, Lord Waver El-Melloi II as a Fes, and Ayaka Sajyou as a Flame. Ranks for Rin and Shirou in canon aren't revealed (yet), so their ranks here are my conjecture.

Color is short for Color Designation, awarded by the Association for distinguished achievement. There are no limits as to how many can be awarded a color per generation or given time. The most distinguished are primary colors, red, yellow, and blue, though other colors are used but less distinguished. Canon examples are Touko Aozaki for red (though never **EVER** bring it up before her or you _**WILL**_ suffer a most painful death), and Aoko Aozaki for blue.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Chapter 3

A red light began to flash on a polished panel of wood, accompanied by a harsh beeping. A little girl floated over through the air, before gently and soundless stepping on the ground. She reached up, towards a brass button beneath the light, and pouted at her inability to reach it. Floating up, the little girl pressed the button once, causing the beeping to stop, though the light continued to flash.

Turning in midair, the little girl floated through her creator's workshop, towards the room where her creator was even now assembling another doll.

Despite appearances, the girl was a doll herself. Once, when she was born and for a time after, she was small enough to sit in the palm of her creator's hand. But with the passing of time, and improvements on her design by her creator as well as the evolution of her own being, Hourai had grown…literally. Now, she was easily as big as any five-year old girl, though mentally she was far superior to any such child, and chronologically, she was in fact seven-years old.

Arriving at the assembly room, Hourai paused before knocking, and decided to look through one of the round windows on the door. Spotting her creator at work inside, Hourai decided against interrupting and to just wait until her creator had finished what she was doing. In any case, it seemed she was nearly finished anyway.

The assembly room was a large, square room, with smoothly-finished walls plastered in white. A bank of bright white lights hung down from the ceiling, while the floor was tiled with drains in every corner.

Rolling tables with tools and supplies were lined against one wall, along with wheeled heavy equipment. Two such were next to the gurney in the middle of the room, under the lights, a miniature prana generator hooked up to a vat meant to grow flesh in, along with a set of mystic codes for sculpting flesh.

Sakura Tohsaka worked on her newest doll, wearing a white smock over her clothes along with white gloves, mask, and cap. Goggles protected her eyes, while also featuring enchantments to augment her vision as needed. Apart from herself, three other dolls stood around the gurney, dressed similarly to her.

One monitored the doll under construction for any abnormalities that may develop during assembly. The other two assisted Sakura directly, waiting to fulfil any instructions from her at a moment's notice.

Minute bursts of prana from Sakura's fingertips molded and shaped the vat-grown flesh as she fashioned it into a limb, though she needed to use a specialized mystic code to direct the growth of nerve analogs and link them to the existing network. Another mystic code did the same for blood vessels, and another – along with specific chemical modifiers – was used to develop organ analogs.

Indeed, there were numerous mystic codes for specialized functions in doll assembly, along with chemical modifiers to go with them. At present though, Sakura was almost done with the current doll, and was just finishing up with the right leg and then its foot.

As it was though, it would take another half hour to finish. Stepping back and handing her tools to one of her assistants, Sakura stepped further up along the gurney's edge. "Status?" she asked.

" _All parameters within acceptable values._ " The doll at the monitor telepathically answered. " _We may proceed to the next phase as planned._ "

Sakura nodded, and placed a hand over where the doll's heart would be. " _Erwache,_ " she said, magic circuits glowing across her body. " _Fleisch von meinem Fleisch._ "

Glowing blue lines flashed to life across the doll's body, and continued to glow for several moments. And then they went out…as a heartbeat could be felt beneath Sakura's hand. " _Nervous activity detected,_ " the doll at the monitor said. " _Blood pressure is rising…vital signs are stabilizing…stabilizing…stabilizing…stabilizing…they're past the acceptable limit…it's stable!_ "

"Good," Sakura said with a nod. "Assembly and activation successful, proceed to incubation."

The two dolls from earlier rolled a coffin-like construct forward, while Sakura and the doll at the monitor disconnected the leads from the newly-assembled doll. And then, firmly but gently, they lifted the doll into the coffin, lined with gold leaf arranged into circuit-like patterns with gems forming nodes and junctions.

Fixing the doll to lie relaxed on its back with its arms at its sides, Sakura and her assistants closed and sealed the lid, and then a doll went to one of the tables along the wall. Opening a centrifuge, she pulled out a pair of metal test tubes which she handed to Sakura.

Nodding her thanks, Sakura popped open a small panel on one side of the incubator, and slid the test tubes into their proper spots. She then dialed in the required setting on a brass keypad, and pressing enter closed the access panel.

Sakura stepped back, and gestured. One doll unlocked and opened the doors, letting the other two wheel the incubator away to where it would be stored while the doll inside finished its development. Bowing at Sakura, the one doll left behind left the doors open to begin cleaning up.

As for Sakura, she pulled off her mask and gloves, followed by her cap and smock. Running a hand through her hair, she blinked as she spotted Hourai standing by and looking around one of the double doors. "What's wrong?" Sakura asked, walking over to Hourai.

" _There's an alarm_." Hourai said using sign language.

Sakura blinked, and then nodding stepped past, Hourai floating up into the air to follow her creator. "What kind of alarm is it?" Sakura asked, turning to look at Hourai.

" _Priority,_ " Hourai signed. " _I didn't want to disturb you while you were working, so…_ "

"Understandable," Sakura said with a nod. "Continue."

" _We're not being attacked or anything like that,_ " Hourai said. " _Though that's something you'd feel even without an alarm. I think it's a message from someone, or an alarm from a trap you set somewhere._ "

"Hmm…" Sakura hummed as she entered her office, file cabinets and shelves filling a whole wall while another wall was hidden behind the bulk of a large logic engine, all polished wood with brass dials, switches, buttons, keypads and the like, along with crystal displays and indicators.

Noticing the flashing light, Sakura turned it off before pressing another button. Loud, heavy sounds that sounded as though from an unholy union of a typewriter and a printing press began to be heard from the logic engine, and a nearby port slowly slid out a sheet of paper printed with heavily-pressed text.

Sakura waited until the printing was done, and then tore the paper from its web before holding it close to read. After a few moments, she smiled and briefly closed her eyes. "End of the first sequence…there's no turning back now…" she said softly, and opened her eyes as she felt someone tug at her skirt.

Turning her head, Sakura spotted Hourai's twin, Shourai. Like Hourai, Shourai resembled Sakura when she was five, dressed in a blue dress with a pink belt and with a white mantle over her shoulders. Small white stockings and black leather shoes rounded out her appearance, the doll holding up her arms at her creator.

" _You're so spoiled, Shourai._ " Hourai signed as Sakura picked up the other doll.

" _You're just jealous, Hourai._ " Shourai signed back, from where Sakura was holding her in her arms.

" _Am not!_ "

" _Am so!_ "

" _Am not!_ "

"Enough!" Sakura said, and both dolls looked crestfallen.

" _We're sorry._ " They signed, and Sakura sighed before walking over to her desk and placing Shourai on it. Hourai floated over and sat down beside her sister, the twin dolls holding hands while looking at their creator.

"Please don't fight each other."

" _Okay!_ "

" _We won't!_ "

" _I am such a hypocrite._ " Sakura thought with a sigh, and pinched her nose. " _Then again…they have a completely different situation from mine, so…_ "

Sakura let the thought trail off and sighed. Walking over to her shelves, she began leafing through her materials before finding what she was looking for. Walking back to her logic engine, she pulled on a brass handle, sliding out what looked like a phonograph player.

Opening the lid, she pulled back the stylus, and slid the phonograph cylinder into place. Replacing the stylus, Sakura closed the lid, and pushed the player back into the logic engine. Flicking switches in sequence and turning dials and inputting numbers into the logic engine, a high-pitched whining began to build as Sakura stepped back.

"Now then," Sakura said with a smile. "Let's set the next stage of the plan into motion, shall we?"

" _What if she falls at this stage?_ " Hourai signed.

"That'd be very disappointing." Sakura said with a shrug. "Objectively-speaking, it satisfies our needs: we'll get the crest, and vindicating proof of her unworthiness to be heiress. But, it'd be very unsatisfying to win just by default, without actually demonstrating our superior talent and skill compared to her own."

Hourai and Shourai nodded, and Sakura smiled as the logic engine's volume began to drop, lights flashing green. "Now then," she said while pressing several buttons. "With the plan in motion, I need to make a few phone calls, and to start preparing the paperwork. It's time for us to make our debut on the stage, in preparation for the end game, don't you think so?"

" _Yes!_ " the twin dolls chorused, and Sakura beamed.

"Perfect."

* * *

Kiyo Fukuizumi was a whore. She hadn't always been, and she wasn't the usual kind, but that's what she was. Oh to be sure, they called her a mistress, but she needn't work hard to enjoy the luxurious life she had now, nor did she have the responsibilities of producing and raising children much less keeping house…all she had to do was sleep with and satisfy her man, and she'd have the money to live her enjoyable lifestyle.

How could she not be a whore otherwise?

It hadn't always been like this. She'd been born to a good family, with loving parents, and to an ordinary lifestyle. She'd gone to school like everybody else, had friends and made good memories, and when she graduated, she'd gone to work at her father's factory.

But…times change. Things change.

Her mother developed a cancer. Her father had to take on staggering loans to pay for any and all efforts to save her, but in the end it was all for nothing. Her mother died…and then the economy crashed, and her father was unable to pay his debts…

…the factory went bankrupt. They were evicted from their house due to being unable to pay for it. That was bad enough…but her father's loans turned out to be with shady characters who put up good fronts for the world to see, and she was made into collateral until the old man could pay his debts.

In the end, he couldn't. Last she heard of him, he was a bum, wandering around the streets of Fuyuki City, begging for alms and pocket change from passersby, and leaving her in the hands of the syndicate.

Of course, things could always get worse.

The first time was painful. She begged and cried and pleaded, but it was all for nothing. Her struggles made his angry, and she was left with bruises as she cried under her sheets. For a while after that, he left her alone…but he came back, again, and again, and again…

…and whenever he did, she stopped struggling ever so much, until before she knew it, she'd given in to him, responding favorably to his advances and caresses, actively pleasing him on his visits…

…he appreciated that. It wasn't long before she found herself installed in a comfortable apartment in one of the luxurious high-rises that dominated Fuyuki's skyline, with her own staff to boss around and cater to her. She accompanied him on this and that event, and while she'd never be his wife…

…this wasn't so bad either. No, in fact she found that she preferred it to her old life. She didn't have to dirty a hand, break a nail, or work her ass off for a pittance from eight to five, all she had to do was keep her man satisfied and happy, and she could just while away her days living like a queen.

Indeed, it was quite laughable, in hindsight, to think that she had once resisted her man's advances so. If she hadn't, she could have earned such a comfortable life much earlier and with less pain than she otherwise had to go through.

Funny how these things turn out.

Such was Kiyo's life. She was a whore, and she didn't care. She was rich, beautiful, well-connected, and lived a life of luxury without a care in the world. What was there to complain about?

Well, there was one. Nightmares…or rather, _the_ nightmare.

It happened every so often, with no seeming pattern behind whenever she had it. Sometimes she wouldn't have it for months, at other times, she'd have it for nights in a row. Regardless of how many times she'd have it, it was always the same.

A young woman, much younger than her, barely out of high school from the look of things. She didn't look like much, dressed like an ordinary office lady with dark brown hair cut into a shoulder-length bob. But with a single word, every last man around her fell senseless to the ground, and sent Kiyo to her knees.

And her eyes…oh her eyes…Kiyo had seen judging eyes before, eyes that dared to pass judgment on her, eyes belonging to people who didn't know and could never understand what she'd been through, and what she had to do in order to survive…

…but those eyes! They weren't judging. They were _measuring_ , and it was like nothing she'd ever seen before, and it terrified her. That her man and his men were utterly helpless against her, and with just a single word…

…there was only one word to describe her with…

 _"Witch…" the young woman said, interrupting Kiyo's thoughts. "I suppose it's close enough as a description for me. Yes, I can read your mind. And yes, I can see your memories too. I'm tempted to sympathize I really am…but…"_

 _The young woman trailed off with a sigh, and shook her head. "But I can't." she said. "Some might call it hypocrisy considering what I'm planning to do but…there's a world of difference between us. No, I don't need to explain myself to a whore like you. All you need to know is that this is **my** city, and you…"_

 _The young woman paused and chuckled. "You are going to earn your keep, whore." The young woman said, her eyes cold as ice. "To channel my father…you should be honored, that a low life such as you may contribute to our family's glorious magnificence…"_

 _The young woman paused and laughed again. "Pompous, aren't I?" she said. "I get it from him. Now, on to business."_

 _And without another word, the young woman placed a hand on Kiyo's head, and all she knew was pain._

Kiyo blinked, shaking her head and rubbing her arms while shuddering from the memory of the nightmare. How stupid…why the hell was she getting worked up over a nightmare? There were no such things as witches and magic. There was no way her man and his men could be knocked senseless by a girl barely out of high school. Quite the opposite actually, and then said girl would be taught her place by her man's rough men.

Let's see who'd be laughing then. Stupid nightmare…why the hell was she getting it anyway? And when…did…it all…start?

And also…when did she…get…that…painting?

There was a painting, hanging on her wall. An ink painting, of what looked like a…room, of some sort, with high pillars and a throne and a vague figure seated on it…

…when did…she…

Kiyo blinked, finding herself no longer on her bed, brushing her hair, and was now standing in front of the painting. With a mix of detachment and confusion, she found herself raising a hand, and reaching out with a finger to the painting.

 _What…why…I don't…I…_

Her finger touched the painting, and suddenly, Kiyo found herself on her knees, dressed in rags and bound in chains, a pair of…women, standing next to her, encased in mail and carrying shields and swords. A throne stood on the marble dais before her, resting on a red carpet that ran down and past Kiyo. Sunlight glowed through great floor to ceiling windows to her left, and illuminated a…strange, symbol, drawn in blue on white cloth, hanging down the wall behind the throne.

Kiyo's eyes widened as she saw who was sitting on the throne. The young woman from her nightmares, dressed in a black dress trimmed in silver, under a white cape tied at the collar with gold thread. A staff was in her hand, white with gold on its ends, a pair of golden prongs extending from the head around a glowing blue jewel that floated between them.

"The time has come to fulfil your obligations to my family." The young woman said. "Fujimura can get a new plaything when this is all over. You know what to do, don't you?"

Kiyo's eyes flickered, and she lowered her hand. Yes, Fujimura could find a new mistress. Her true master had called on her, and she would answer.

* * *

Rin finished checking in on her mother in her bed, and with a sigh left her mother's – her _parents'_ – room, returning downstairs to where a worried Shirou had prepared some tea in the living room. "Is your mother still sleeping?" he asked as Rin entered the living room.

Rin nodded, and Shirou sighed. "I see." He said. "She'll probably sleep until tomorrow morning at least. I've already called Fuji-nee, and told her I'll be staying over here tonight. I'll also make breakfast tomorrow, so your mother won't have to strain herself."

Rin didn't say anything, just letting her face into her hands. Shirou looked on helplessly for a few moments, and with a sigh turned back to the cup of tea he'd been nursing just before. He focused on his reflection in the dark liquid, at the helpless expression on his face, and _hated_ it.

 _This isn't right…I should be able to do more than just sit here…I have to be able to do more than just that…but…I…_

Shirou blinked at the sound of sniffling, and turning to Rin his eyes widened at the sight of her shaking shoulders. Quickly getting to his feet, Shirou hurried over to sit next to Rin, placing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer.

Like a dam breaking, Rin clutched at Shirou and cried into his chest, her wailing muffled against his chest even as his shirt soaked up her tears. Shirou stayed quiet, just letting Rin cry against him while holding her close and rubbing her back.

Eventually, slowly, Rin's tears ran out, and while she still continued to sob and sniffle against Shirou the worst was now past. Carefully and gently opening up the space between them, Shirou smiled gently at Rin before kissing her on the forehead. "Better?" he asked.

"Not really…" Rin sniffed. "But…thank you."

Shirou just nodded, relaxing with Rin against the couch, his fiancée resting her head on his chest. For several minutes they just sat there, Shirou gently stroking Rin's head, the young man wondering if she'd fallen asleep, only for her to speak up.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." She whispered. "We were supposed to be discussing our plans for the future…when we'll get married…where we'll get married…who will be attending the wedding…what will we be wearing on that day…how it's planned to go…how many children do we plan on having…things like that…happy, ordinary, everyday things…"

Shirou nodded sadly, and Rin sniffed once. "I guess…that's just it…" she said bitterly. "Happy…ordinary…everyday…things…I'm a fool. I'm a magus! Something like that…I could never have them! I never should have deluded myself into thinking otherwise!"

"Rin…"

"Magic…sometimes I wonder, if Sakura had the right idea…" Rin whispered. "She ran away…turned her back on a bright future as a magus…became a disgrace and shame to our family…that's what father said…that's what I said…but somehow…I just know…she's happier that way."

Shirou glanced worriedly at Rin, who looked…tired, resigned even. "She'll never have to set her own nerves on fire to be worth a damn, just honest, ordinary, everyday work," Rin murmured. "Never have to worry and set aside love to enrich the next generation…never have to face the choice of abandoning a child for the sake of their own future…and…she'll never have to risk going home…to find her own mother's mind, raped and violated, torn to shreds by another magus for her family's secrets!"

Shirou sighed, and sitting up a little used his free hand to tip Rin's face in his direction. "Come on now," he said with a gentle smile. "This isn't like you at all."

"Isn't it?" Rin asked bitterly, and looking away. "All my life I've had to put the front of the perfect heiress…who can really say which is the 'real' Rin? I certainly don't. I…"

"Well," Shirou began. "The Rin I know is intelligent, pretty, and kind, but she's also somewhat lazy, proud, and something of a troll."

Rin's eyes flared at the apparent mockery, and she glared angrily at Shirou only to falter at his sincere smile. With a chuckle, he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead again. "I also know that while she has plenty of problems in life," he said. "She's not the kind to give up either. She always faces them, struggles against them, does her best to find a way to solve them, and learning from them, comes out of it stronger and wiser than before."

Shirou smiled wider. "She's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination," he said. "And she has a tendency to bury what she really feels deep down inside of her. But despite that, despite the coldness and…indifference, she likes to show the world, she's still a kind woman at heart. Because no matter what, when a choice needs to be made, and things need to be done, she'll always choose and do the right thing. And that's why she's the woman I fell in love with."

"Flatterer…" Rin murmured, looking away.

Shirou chuckled and shrugged. "I'm not perfect, and I've never pretended to be." He said. "I'll admit I can be slow at time, and maybe…just a bit too kind…"

Rin was silent for a couple of moments, and then she too chuckled. "Finally admitted it, huh?" she said. "I guess…that's part of what makes us…why the two of us, just seemed to fit together…"

"Opposites attract, is that it?" Shirou asked with a laugh before sighing. "Anyway, I'd just like to say that you're you. You made your own choices, just like your sister made hers. You're…we're all our own persons, who we choose to be. Now…I…maybe I'm stepping too far out of line, since I've never met your sister but…you shouldn't let what choices she made influence you when they don't have to."

"Shirou…"

Shirou sighed and scratched his head. "I'm not good at getting my point across with big words like this…" he muttered, and prompting Rin to laugh at his expense. "Nice…real nice…I'm just trying to help you know, so please don't laugh."

Rin laughed again, and leaned forward to kiss Shirou on a cheek as he scowled at her. "Just say what you want to say, idiot." she said. "You don't need to use big words."

"I'm sure she had her reasons," Shirou finally said. "To turn her back on your family…but do you?"

Rin didn't even have to think. "No," she said with a shake of her head. "I don't. No matter how hard things get, no matter how bitter the bile becomes, I won't turn my back. Otherwise…it will all have been for nothing."

Shirou smiled and nodded. "That's why," he said. "Instead of just crying about what could have been, let's focus on and do what we can. That way, when…mom, wakes up, we can tell her about what we've done, what problems we've overcome, and what we can do to help her get over what's been done to her. Set things right. And then after that…"

Shirou paused, and leaning forward rested his forehead against Rin's with a smile. "Maybe, just _maybe_ , we can get some of those happy, ordinary everyday things you mentioned for our family." He said. "Impossible for magi? Then I guess we'll just have to make a miracle happen, won't we?

Shirou beamed at Rin, and after a moment she lowered her head, nodded, and looking back up returned Shirou's smile. "Yes," she agreed, slipping into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Let's do all of that. From setting things right, and making a miracle happen. Together…"

"Always."

Sharing a smile between them, Rin and Shirou placed the sorrow and despair of the day behind them, and closing their eyes, pressed their lips against the other's.

* * *

A/N

Sakura's plan goes into motion, and the first boss is introduced. Welcome to the game, Kiyo Fukuizumi. You won't last long, but give it a good show regardless, alright?

Yes, it's very nasty, manipulating people like that. But magi in general are a nasty lot (and it's not like the _yakuza_ are any better), and Touko is among the nastier ones. And Sakura grew up around her, and learned magic from her. So it only follows that Sakura here would end up among the nastier ones as well. But wait, if that was the case, why didn't Sakura in canon grow up nasty like Zouken?

Because Zouken is an asshole to say the least, that's why. Sakura being kind and all was a form of passive resistance to Zouken, she had absolutely no incentive to follow his example. Touko, in contrast…

…one last thing: why would Touko allow Sakura – or even encourage her as shown in the prologue – to deliberately do to Rin what Aoko did to her? And the answer is…! Spoilers!

We'll get there, don't worry. That's all for now, folks.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Chapter 4

 _Kiyo looked on as her master placed the Crown of Fire into a velvet-lined case, and closed it. Then taking Kiyo's hand, the Masked Master ran one of Kiyo's fingers along a razor-edged attachment to the front, a hexagram-like emblem flashing like a dull ember along with the brighter light of the small, clear gem that it surrounded. A moment later and the light faded, accompanied by the faintest sound of locking mechanisms clicking into place._

" _It's too soon for you to wear your crown, Kiyo." The Masked Master said softly. "Too soon; if we're not careful, it'll tip our hand to the enemy."_

" _I understand, master."_

" _Good," the Masked Master said with a nod, and taking the case placed it in a false cavity in a wall of the room they were in, and with another touch of blood from Kiyo, set amber ablaze and sealed up the cavity. "This room we are in now, will be sealed against any who would enter it, save for you, me, and any other…agents, of myself. The seals will also keep the ungifted from noticing it, or even remembering that it exists. And for a time…you as well."_

" _Until the appointed time then, master?" Kiyo asked, pressing a kerchief against her bleeding finger, and following the Masked Master out of the room._

" _Yes," the Masked Master said with a nod. "Until the appointed time…"_

 _The Masked Master trailed off, and Kiyo made no effort to pick up the conversation. They made their way out of the apartment in silence, and as the door was closed, for the briefest of moments the faintest hint of ozone could be smelled in the air. "Until then, Kiyo." The Masked Master said, placing a hand on her head, and darkness fell…_

Kiyo sat on her bed, and held a wooden case in her hands. It had been a short enough trip by car, across the city to an out of the way residential block, and thence up on foot to the dusty and empty apartment wherein the Crown of Fire had been hidden. Retrieving the case with the crown, she'd returned to her apartment, and dismissed her staff until she called for them, stating only that she wished to be alone.

Running a finger along the razor-edged attachment in front of the case, the hexagram-like emblem in front flared dimly, in contrast with the light of the small, clear gem it surrounded. Then they faded, accompanied by the faintest sound of internal mechanisms unlocking.

Kiyo lifted the cover, and her eyes widened as she took in the Crown of Fire. Made from red gold and fashioned into a jagged coronet whose points resembled flames, clear, expertly-cut gems ran in a circle around the crown, though the front boasted a great ruby that seemed to glow with inner fire. Smaller gems – emerald and sapphire from the look of things – were placed beside the ruby, and though less bright they too seemed to glow with inner fire.

Indeed, the whole crown seemed to brim with power barely held in check, straining at its constraints and seeking to be unleashed. It _called_ to Kiyo, recognizing her as its chosen bearer, as per the will of the Masked Master of Fuyuki City, and she yearned to place it on her head, and accepting the command of their master, take up the role prepared for her in the Grand Plan.

And yet, she hesitated.

 _Something_ was trying to keep her from putting the crown on her head, something that made her hands shake, and her head hurt, a voice incoherently screaming at her in her own mind. And the voice…the voice… _the voice was her own_.

She didn't know how long she sat there, breathing and sweating heavily, hands shaking, until finally, she shut her eyes tight, and taking a deep breath forced the crown on her head. The voice in her head screamed and stopped in an instant, and in the next moment Kiyo breathed in relief.

And then she screamed, metal points digging from the crown into her head. Not deep, barely enough to draw blood indeed, but that was enough. Enough to create a connection between the Crown of Fire and Kiyo, mana flowing from their surroundings to sustain the mysteries of the crown as it anointed the woman in preparation for her role in the Grand Plan.

Kiyo screamed and thrashed in agony on her bed, unable to act, to do as she wanted to, to end the pain by ripping the crown of her head. Veins throbbed as she writhed, dark lines spreading down from her head across her face, down her neck, and under her clothes. In but a few moments, they could be seen on the exposed flesh of her limbs, until finally, they encompassed her body, outlining her nervous system.

And then, impossibly, agonizingly, the pain _swelled_. Kiyo Fukuizumi screamed her throat raw, her body bending into a bow, her life flashing in front of her eyes, regrets, prides, cherished and shameful moments blending with recollections of ordinary, day to day life…she saw it all in a moment, and then…darkness.

Kiyo fell into her bed, limp and sweating, eyes blank and breathing weak. She was alive though…but the vessel had been emptied.

Prepared, for her role in the Grand Plan.

She lay in her bed for hours, the night turning to day, morning giving way to the afternoon which dwindled down into the evening…and still Kiyo lay there, silent and unresponsive. And through it all, dark lines flickered regularly and in organic patterns over her flesh, and as the hours passed and night gave way to day which in turn gave way to night once more…

…the patterns grew less organic, more mechanical, akin to electronic circuits. Darkness gave way to light, a faint and unnatural blue coming brighter and brighter from the circuits, even as the ruby on the Crown of Fire truly glowed with its own inner light.

Finally, as a full twenty-four hours were completed, so too was her reconstruction from a living, breathing, Human being into a Human-modified _doll_. A thought echoed out into the ether, that of the Masked Master.

 _Program KIYO…activate._

 _Activating…_

… _standby…_

… _standby…_

… _standby…_

The new doll's irises dilated and contracted in quick succession, circuit-board like patterns glowing on her skin for several moments before fading in sequence. And then she blinked, and rolled over to rise on all fours.

"…Program KIYO…" the Crowned Whore whispered. "…activated."

* * *

While the woman once known as Kiyo was being reconstructed into the Crowned Whore, things were developing in the Tohsaka household. "Good morning, mom." Rin began hesitantly as she entered her mother's room.

Aoi looked up from where she was on the bed, holding a picture frame in her hand. She stared at Rin as the younger woman approached, her expression turning anguished as she tried to recall her memories. "R-Rin…your name is…Rin, right?" Aoi stammered out. "You're my…my daughter, aren't you?"

Rin looked just as anguished, and placing the breakfast tray on Aoi's lap nodded. "Yes, I am." Rin said with a nod.

"I…I see…I'm sorry…" Aoi said. "But…I can't…remember…right…"

Aoi trailed off, and in the next moment Rin had thrown herself at her mother, crying quietly while embracing her. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Rin sobbed. "If only…if only I hadn't been so selfish…so…focused, on my advancement as a magus, at the Clock Tower…if I'd brought you with me…or I was here…then none of this would have happened…"

"Rin…"

"I should have…I should have been here for you…to protect you…instead I…I…"

Aoi sat silent as words failed Rin, and then shakily, _hesitantly_ , she raised her hands, and placing them around Rin returned her embrace. And despite all the holes in her memory, the blank spaces, times and dates and events she couldn't remember…

…the sound of Rin's voice, the feel of her body against her like this, of holding her in her arms…

…it felt…warm, a familiar and comforting feeling rising in Aoi's breast, a sense of contentment and right, in a deep and profound way that went beyond conscious memory…

…before she knew it, Aoi felt tears on her cheek as well, and she closed her eyes while hugging Rin closer. "It's…alright…" she murmured. "It's not…your fault. You couldn't…couldn't have…known, something like this would happen."

"But…I…"

"Shush," Aoi gently but firmly shushed Rin, and rubbing her back. "It's not your fault. It's not your fault. I…I'm your mother…yes, I'm your mother. So just listen to mommy, alright? If…if I say…if I say it isn't your fault, then…then it isn't. Just listen to mommy, Rin."

Sniffing loudly, Rin nodded against her mother's shoulder, Aoi smiling with a mix of sadness and happiness alike, continuing to rub Rin's back until the girl had finished crying all of her regret and sadness away. As Rin pulled away from her mother, Aoi smiled encouragingly while wiping at Rin's face, and smiled wider as Rin struggled to smile back, the younger woman chuckling wetly after a few moments.

"We'll…we'll get through…through this…together, won't we?" Aoi asked, taking Rin's hands and squeezing. Rin nodded her agreement.

"Yes," she said, wiping at an eye. "We will."

Aoi nodded again, and turned to her breakfast. But as she reached forward, her arm brushed the picture frame lying beside her. Glancing at it, a wistful expression crossed Aoi's face, and she picked up the picture frame.

For several long moments, mother and daughter just stared at the picture in the frame, and then reaching up with shaky fingers, Aoi spoke up. "This…man…" she whispered, shakily caressing the image of a well-dressed, distinguished-looking man with a small, subdued smile. "He was…he was my husband…your…father, wasn't he?"

"Yes," Rin said, sitting next to Aoi. "He was. Tokiomi Tohsaka, my father, and your husband. He loved us all very much…so very much…"

"Yes…yes…I…remember…I…"

Aoi trailed off, Rin glancing at her mother and fighting back a fresh wave of tears at the completely lost expression on Aoi's face. But then, Aoi turned to the two children in the picture, one standing next to Tokiomi and holding his hand. "This…this is you, isn't it?" Aoi asked, tapping the image of the pigtailed girl, smartly-dressed for her age when the picture was taken.

"Yes, that was me, a long time ago." Rin said with a small smile, reminiscing of happier times, and hearing the warm echoes of her father's deep voice, approving and loving in equal measure.

"I…see…" Aoi said, before her fingers moved to the other girl, younger than Rin, dressed more casually and held in the younger Aoi's arms. "This girl…who was she?"

"T-that's…"

Words failed Rin, bitterness, regret, longing, and shame warring in her heart. Warm echoes turned cold, the agreeing magus in her clashing against the dissenting sister.

 _You have no sister from here on out, Rin. A girl who turns her back on her family, on the bright future gifted to her, who shames us all with her thoughtless actions…it's better to think that she never existed at all._

"I…" Rin struggled to say, her voice coming out in a strangled whisper, but Aoi speaks first. She too speaks in a whisper, calmer, but with a painful note of…something, Rin couldn't identify, to it.

"She…she's your sister, isn't she? You…you have…a…a sister…don't you?" Aoi pressed, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Where…where is she? I…I…I can't…I can't remember…where is she? Who…who was she? What…what was her name? I…I…I…!"

Tears also flowing down her cheeks, Rin embraced her mother close, the two of them sharing their grief. "She…Sakura…" Rin whispered. "Sakura's not here anymore."

* * *

"So…how did it go?"

Rin didn't reply at once, wordlessly placing the empty bowls and dirty plates and utensils in the sink, and soaking them in soapy water. Shirou likewise stayed silent, waiting for Rin to respond at her own pace.

"Better," she finally said. "Better than expected…mom has trouble remembering things, and she stammers and falters while talking but…it's not like her mind's gone. She's…she's…she can be alright. Yes, she can get through this. _We'll_ get through this, no matter what!"

Silence fell across the kitchen for a few moments, and then Rin took a deep breath as she felt Shirou's arms go around her, holding her firmly against himself. "Yeah, we will." Shirou said, and Rin smiled at the warmth of his words and body alike. He didn't say anything more, and it wasn't like he needed to.

Those words, and this gesture, were enough.

They stayed that way for several moments, and then Rin took another deep breath. "So," she began. "What now?"

Shirou disengaged from her, stepping to the side and leaning against the countertop. "I don't know, really." He said. "I mean, it's obvious we have to help mom recover, but that's a long-term thing, isn't it?"

Rin nodded and narrowed her eyes. "Yes," she said. "But, just helping mom recover isn't enough. We need to do more."

"In other words," Shirou said. "We need to find the guy behind this, and bring him to justice. Isn't that right?"

Rin snorted and then smiled at Shirou. "It's just like you, to put it that way." She said, smiling wider as Shirou gave a small, embarrassed smile. "But yes, that's essentially what we have to do. Of course, it's easier said than done, unfortunately."

Shirou nodded unhappily. "Yeah," he said. "It's probably been years since they've come and gone. The trail's cold, and the evidence…"

Shirou trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought, but Rin finished it for him regardless. "Mom would unknowingly have destroyed most of it." Rin said bitterly. "Not that we can blame her, she didn't and couldn't have known better."

Shirou nodded as Rin fell silent for several moments, but eventually she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Still," she said, opening her eyes. "We'll do what we can. Later on, I'll go and visit Kotomine Church. The priestess…Caren, Ortensia, wasn't it? She might have noticed something in the past, and could point us to a lead or even the trail itself."

"Yeah, she might." Shirou murmured while nodding slowly in thought. "It's been a while, but from what I remember of her, she's quite sharp. A bit like Kotomine, if not nearly as malicious…"

Shirou trailed off, and Rin raised an eyebrow, but Shirou didn't carry on with that line of thought. "No," he said. "I'm probably just seeing connections where there aren't. Sure, Ortensia-san was sharp, and if I remember right she likes to prod at people, but it wasn't just Kotomine who was like that. You're like that too sometimes."

"Ass." Rin sneered, and Shirou chuckled.

"I guess I am."

Rin chuckled as well. "Sometimes," she said before nodding. "Alright, you stay here and look after mom, while I go and talk with that priestess. Hopefully, she might have something helpful for us. I definitely won't let whoever is behind this get away with it, just you watch me!"

"I'll do more than watch." Shirou said while narrowing his eyes. "And we certainly won't let them do that. But more to the point, just leave mom to me, and just focus on what you have to talk about with over at Ortensia-san's place. Alright?"

"Yeah, I'll leave mom and the house to you then."

* * *

Golden light filled a windowless living room, illuminating simple but comfortable furnishings, and a young woman with platinum-blonde hair and unusual, golden eyes seated on a couch. Dressed in the attire of a priestess of the Holy Church, Caren Ortensia silently read in the quiet comfort of her home, only to blink and look up as she sensed the arrival of a guest in the church under her care.

Setting her book aside with a marker to mark where she'd left off, the priestess rose to her feet, and brushing her robes to smooth any wrinkles calmly but quickly left the living room, and then her living quarters, and proceeded to the church proper. There was another woman there, a few years older than Caren from the look of things, dressed in a long-sleeved, collared blouse of red over dark leggings and matching shoes, and carrying a lady's bag in her hands. She was looking up at the crucifix, but as Caren approached the other woman turned to the priestess, who recognized her at once.

"Rin Tohsaka," Caren said with hint of surprise. "I was unaware you'd returned already."

"Yes, well, Shirou and I only returned yesterday afternoon, so I hope you'd forgive me giving the impression of having forgotten you." Rin said with a nod.

"Understandable," Caren said with a small bow. "There is nothing to forgive, and even if there were, then forgive and forget, as the Lord Himself once said."

Caren then blinked, and focused on the ring on one of Rin's fingers. "Are congratulations in order then?" the priestess asked.

Rin blinked, and then noticing the focus of Caren's attentions, blushed and giggled. "Y-yes," she said. "Shirou proposed a few days ago, back in London, and well, I said yes."

Caren smiled with genuine happiness for the other woman, no matter that they were never really close before Rin and Shirou had gone to London, and stepping forward took Rin's hands and held them between her own. "Congratulations," the priestess said. "And I hope and pray that the Lord grants you all the happiness in the world together."

"Thank you," Rin said, still blushing and lowering her face. "Thank you, Caren."

Caren nodded, and stepping back her expression turned serious. For a moment they stood in silence, the priestess studying the magus, noting not just Rin's shy happiness at the good fortune she'd been blessed, or even her gratitude at Caren's hopes and prayers for their happiness…

…no, there was something more here. Something serious and…troubling.

It was tempting, really, to pry at the matter in a…amusing, or infuriating fashion. But, Caren easily fought it down, if only to avoid ruining the moment earlier. "But," Caren began. "That's not all you came here for, is it?"

Rin nodded. "Is there somewhere we can quietly talk in private?" she quietly asked.

"Of course," Caren said with a nod, and with a gesture for Rin to follow led her out of the church and to Caren's living quarters.

* * *

Caren calmly sipped at her tea, Rin doing likewise opposite from her across the living room coffee table. Rin had just finished telling her the situation the Tohsaka Clan had found itself in shortly after Rin had returned from London: their territory trespassed on for a significant amount of time, materials stolen, and the clan matriarch mentally assaulted and taken advantage of.

And now that Rin had finished telling her story, they'd fallen into silence shrouded with tea fumes. It was just what was needed, Caren gathering her thoughts, and Rin calming her emotions at all the humiliations and offenses heaped against her family.

After several minutes, Caren broke the silence. "Well for starters, your mother's alive, and from your own observations, is already on the road to recovery. That's one good thing." She said.

Rin stared, uncomprehending at this unexpected start to the resumption of their conversation. Caren stared back, and after several moments Rin took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes," she admitted. "Yes, that much is a good thing."

"Quite," Caren agreed with a nod. "Now, I suppose you'd like my assistance in resolving this matter. I would of course, be more than pleased to render what assistance I can, not simply due to the old – if secret – alliance between the Holy Church and your family, but also because what was done to your family are all great wrongs, and it is only right and just to correct them and deliver the ones responsible to justice."

"Thank you very much."

"However," Caren continued. "My ability to do so is limited."

"Limited?" Rin echoed, and Caren nodded.

"Sad to say," she said. "Considering the root nature of the crimes committed, that is mental assault of your mother to infiltrate your territory, and the subsequent pillaging of your family's magical assets, the Holy Church does not have…jurisdiction, over the matter."

"In other words," Rin said with narrowed eyes. "It's a magus matter, and therefore the Church doesn't have the authority to take action."

"Precisely," Caren said with a nod. "I imagine there's some room for action, but it may draw attention from the Association and other interested parties. Now, given the remote location of your territory and your relative unimportance in Association affairs, it's likely to be just a matter of mild interest. No offense intended."

"None taken," Rin said, stroking her chin in thought. "But, while that's likely to be the case, it may also not be. Is that what you're saying?"

Caren nodded. "Are you prepared to risk political and social backlash by calling on our assistance?" she asked. "It also risks exposing our alliance, and that could only worsen the potential consequences."

"But…" Rin growled. "The alternative is to request a formal investigation from the Association. That's…"

"It's also quite undesirable, isn't it?" Caren asked. "This is rude to say, so I apologize in advance, but ever since your father died, your family's influence and reputation in the Association or more specifically the Clock Tower has dropped. And considering how rare it is for Orientals such as your family to gain such…prestige, within the Association in the first place…"

Caren trailed off, but Rin understood well enough. "Yeah, I know." She said darkly. "The Clock Tower is a nest of vipers. Normally it's enough to just keep your head down and mind your own business, and the vipers will ignore you to snap at each other, but disturb the _status quo_ in any real way, and they'll turn to you and not necessarily in a good way."

Rin paused to drink her tea. "Father and grandfather gave the Tohsaka good standing within the Association, more than good standing in fact." She said. "That is something to be proud of. However, the established families within the Association no doubt considered us as upstarts, and it's honestly a small miracle that the family's weakness after the Fourth Holy Grail war wasn't taken advantage of."

"I would think you have geography to thank for that."

"Yes, I suppose that's true." Rin admitted with a nod and another sip of her tea. "Japan and Fuyuki are too far from Britain, that even…implied, weakness after father's death was not enough to risk significantly for potentially minimal gain. But, if I bring this matter up, then…"

"…you couldn't protect your mother." Caren said softly. "You could not protect your mysteries. Tohsaka is empty and hollow, their remaining assets ripe for the taking…is that it?"

"Plenty of greedy and uncivilized magi in the Clock Tower." Rin said softly. "I've met a few, and while there are some good people there, they and those thugs aside, most magi there are a cold, selfish, and uncaring bunch. They wouldn't really care or try to stop the greedy bunch from taking advantage of what's left of my family if I bared our weakness. I…"

Rin trailed off, and Caren took a drink of her tea. For several moments they sat in silence, and then Caren spoke up. "If the appropriate…authorities, are impotent or undesirable to take action on the matter at hand," she said. "Then your only choice is to take action on your own, is it not?"

Rin closed her eyes and nodded. "So it is." She admitted.

Caren nodded in her turn. "Then we come to the crux of why you came here." She said. "Not simply to ask for my help, but a specific kind of help. Specifically, if I had noticed anything or anyone out of the ordinary during the time frame you believe the culprit was present at your territory, and anything else that might be of assistance for your investigation."

"…yes."

Caren briefly closed her eyes. "Sadly," she said. "I cannot offer you anything of use. With the Holy Grail War at an end and not due again for – hopefully – decades to come, I have not had any reason to monitor the city for anything of supernatural interest. In hindsight, that has been proven to be a mistake, so please accept my apologies."

"No, it's alright." Rin said with a sigh. "Your reasoning is…sound, I suppose. And in hindsight, I could have done better."

"Oh?"

"As you said," Rin said. "The Church and my family are old allies. Secretly, yes, but allies still for all that. I…I could have asked you to discreetly fill in the role of Second Owner while I was away, and to check in on my mother from time to time. It was short-sighted of me…damn it…"

Rin lowered her face and clenched her fists in anger, and Caren closed her eyes while drinking some tea. "To regret your mistakes and missed opportunities is understandable and expected," she said. "But to do so overmuch, is another mistake in itself, wouldn't you agree?"

Rin glanced at Caren, and then narrowing her eyes nodded. "Yes, yes, I would think so." She said, and Caren smiled encouragingly.

"Best to move on, and make up for past mistakes, rather than to squander what strength and spirit you have now." She said. "In any case, while I do not have specific information that would be use to your quest, I have a potential lead in mind that you may want to follow up on. Who knows? It might just be what you need to put yourself on the culprit's trail."

"And that is?"

Caren smiled without mirth. "Are you certain it was only your family's magical materials that were plundered?" she asked. "Your family is quite wealthy as well, isn't it?"

Rin looked confused for a moment at this apparent tangent, and then her eyes went wide and she gasped in horrified realization.

"It can't be…"

* * *

A/N

I'm glad people like Kiyo, though as she was last chapter, she's not much use. Rin could just as easily have deactivated/removed the Manchurian Agent 'programming' on her after all, being an ordinary Human as she was. But now that she's a doll…

…sorry Rin, it's not going to be that easy.

More drama, we'll grow out of it eventually once things start really heating up. And say hello to Caren Ortensia too. See you at the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Chapter 5

The Crowned Whore sat on an armchair by the window, fingers tapping against an armrest, looking over the skyline of Fuyuki at noon. Reconstruction had been completed well before dawn, and she'd spent the hours since then freshening up and beginning the necessary preparations to set the Masked Master's plan into motion. Though, technically-speaking, the plan was already in motion, and had been for a long time now.

The sound of approaching footsteps had the Crowned Whore turning her head in their direction, sunlight glinting off the gold of her crown. Several men lined up, hard-faced and cold-eyed, dressed in crisp and pressed black suits. The stood silent and unmoving, waiting to be addressed, men from the Fujimura Syndicate the Crowned Whore had asked to be assembled before her.

If nothing else, she – and behind her, the Masked Master – needed muscle with which to perform hard labor for the plan's implementation. And these would so nicely.

Of course, as they were they were unsuitable. They'd obey orders, if only because she was the mistress of the heir to the Fujimura Syndicate. But once said heir got wind of her activities and started nosing around, it could be trouble. That would have to be corrected before they could be put to use for the Masked Master's plans.

The Crowned Whore rose from her seat, and began to pace in front of the assembled men. She wore a three-layer kimono, the lowest layer white, then blue with small, silver, embroidered flowers, and then white with red edges as the uppermost layer. A green obi was tied around her waist, folded just so to expose ever so slightly the gold of the obi's underside

"You're all probably wondering why I had you gathered here." The Crowned Whore began. She didn't expect an answer, and she received none. "And the answer is I have need of your assistance."

The Crowned Whore paused, continuing to pace. On her brow, the ruby at the heart of the Crown of Fire blazed with light, mana flowing through the air and weaving a spell that subtly entrapped the men assembled before the Crowned Whore.

"If I need to perform physical…demonstrations," the Crowned Whore continued. "You will perform it for me. If I need to obtain information, then you will obtain it for me. If I have need of resources, then you will provide those resources for me."

The Crowned Whore came to a stop, and turned to face all the men. They looked back, signs of emotion now evident on their face. It was all still very veiled, but it was there now. Confusion for the most part, but also suspicion. Alarm even, and a hint of conflict, their consciousness already beginning to conflict with the web of predetermined directives that had been cast over their minds.

It was weak and frail, easily swept aside with effort of will…just like a spider web. But…that was all very relative. A man whose hands got caught in a spider's web can sweep is aside, but that is only because he would so much bigger and stronger than prey spider webs were meant to catch.

But, what if the scale was even? What if the gap in capability was removed?

Simple really…then just like a fly, a man caught in the web would be trapped, and their struggles would only tangle themselves in the web further.

"Look at the jewel in my crown." The Crowned Whore said.

The _yakuza_ men did as asked, and the ruby glowed blindingly-bright. Eyes widened, and mouths fell open in gasps of alarm, but it was already too late. The spell pierced the men's unprotected minds, following predetermined thought patterns and searing them to nothing. Ordinarily, this would have left them drooling idiots crawling on the floor…

…but where their minds were shredded garbage on their own, the web cast over the men earlier held the remains together, and added to it as needed, no more and no less. Enough to allow them to retain functionality, and a measure of their previous selves…

…but lacking in free will and completely unable to challenge the will of their new master. The web was all that was keeping their minds together after all, and it was at its master's disposal.

The ruby on the Crown of Fire subsided, and the Crowned Whore narrowed her eyes. "Whom do you serve?" she asked.

Eyes blank and completely soulless, the men in front of her stood to attention. "We serve the Masked Master of Fuyuki City," they said tonelessly. "Sakura Tohsaka!"

The Crowned Whore made a dismissing gesture. "Gather some more men," she said. "Bring them here. Best to have some extra bodies just in case."

"Yes!"

* * *

It had taken the better part of yesterday and most of the morning to get even a general assessment of the Tohsaka finances over the past several years, ever since Rin and Shirou had left for London. And what she saw made Rin fly into a rage.

"DAMN IT ALL!" the magus roared, taking a nearby glass of water and hurling it to break against the wall.

In the next moment Shirou was there, firmly grabbing onto Rin to restrain her. "Calm down, Rin!" he said, and prompting a teeth-gritted, ice-eyed glare from the young woman.

Shirou didn't so much as flinch though, and taking a deep breath, Rin nodded after a moment. Shirou let her go, and Rin wordlessly shouted in rage before beginning to pace. Shirou looked on worriedly as she did so, and biting at a thumb spitefully kicked a chair after several moments.

"That's not really helping, you know." He said chidingly.

"It makes me feel better." Rin said.

Shirou sighed and scratched his head. "So," he began. "As Caren-san suspected, your family's money has been stolen too?"

Rin growled angrily but nodded after a moment. " _Our_ family," she began with an emphasis on the pronoun, and prompting a small smile from Shirou. "Is quite wealthy. Our patents alone with the Association bring us tens of millions of Yen per year, and taking into account all the business interests and properties dad and grandfather amassed over the decades…the family's assets can be valued at hundreds of millions of Yen in worth."

Shirou's jaw fell open at that. He knew Tohsaka was an old and rich family, just the mansion alone plus the ample amount of high-quality gemstones at Rin's disposal were proof of that, but…

…hundreds of millions of Yen? Really?

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Rin said with a roll of her eyes. "Jewel Magecraft is expensive, and so are the obligations that come with being part of high society. I wouldn't say we attended and held parties with regularity, but when we do, we look the part. And of course, we gave a lot to charity, and we still do in fact. Well, mom does. I will too eventually. However…"

Rin trailed off, her face twisted in anger. "How much was taken?" Shirou asked with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"We didn't any lose any properties or interests, thanks the gods." Rin said, beginning to pace again. "However, just by looking at those numbers, it's clear about half of every year's total net income was siphoned off to an account or accounts…somewhere."

"Half?" Shirou echoed incredulously.

"Yes, half." Rin ground out.

"Just…how much money are we talking about here?"

Rin smiled without mirth. "Hundreds of millions of Yen per year were stolen." She said, and there was a slapping sound as Shirou's hand met his forehead.

"Are we billionaires?" he asked with a twitchy eye.

"No." Rin said. "But we're nearly there."

"…"

"…nothing to say?"

"What do you plan to do about this?"

Rin snorted before pacing again. "First things first," she said after several moments. "We need to find where the money went. Then, we find a way to get it back, and who stole them in the first place."

Rin paused and stopped walking, Shirou narrowing his eyes in concern as he saw her clenching her fists. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Stealing my family's legacy and money wasn't enough." Rin whispered, every syllable dripping with cold rage. "Even violating my mother's mind wasn't enough. No…they used her. They used her not just to enter my home, they used her to sign off on the transfers to steal away my family's money."

"Rin…"

Rin was silent for several moments, Shirou not knowing what to say. Finally, she took a deep breath. "We get our money back." Rin said, looking at Shirou in the eyes. "And then we catch the bastard behind this, and beat him to an inch of his before setting the law on his bloody ass."

Shirou silently stared back for several moments, and then nodded slowly. "Sounds good," he said. "But, don't get carried away kicking the bastard's ass, alright?"

Rin raised an eyebrow. "And why not?" she asked, and to her surprise Shirou smiled coldly himself.

"Let me have a go as well." He said. "It's my family too, isn't it? And I'm supposed to be a Hero of Justice, aren't I?"

Rin blinked, and then began to laugh. "Yeah," she said, looking down with a small smile before turning back to Shirou. "Yeah, it's your family too. And you still want to be a hero so…alright. You deserve a turn at least.'

Shirou nodded, and then stepping forward placed a hand on Rin's shoulder. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll get through this, no matter what."

"Yes, we will."

* * *

As noon gave way to afternoon, which in turn began to fade into the evening, a series of black Toyotas drove up to a warehouse along the waterfront. Men in suits with soulless eyes silently left the vehicles, most taking up a protective posture around the area. Others entered the warehouse, and after several minutes returned to signal the inside was clear.

At that, the passenger door of one of the Toyotas opened, allowing the Crowned Whore to emerge. Stepping into the warehouse, she looked around at the grimy interior, lit from overhead by powerful industrial-grade fluorescent lights, and partly filled up with large numbers of metal and wooden crates.

The Crowned Whore ignored those, instead leading her company to an out of the way corner. Raising a hand, she took a knife from her sleeves with her other hand, and cut the first hand open. Blood welled out, which the Crowned Whore dribbled out onto the ground in copious amounts. The rube on her crown flashed several times, and then the blood _flowed_ to outline a square portal set into the cemented floor.

Ozone and the stink of iron filled the air as the blood was burned away, the spell concealing the storage space recognizing its maker's servant and making way for her. The Crowned Whore pointed at the portal, one of her men stepping forward and sinking to his knees, took hold of a handle set into the portal.

He pulled, muscles heaving as the cement slab was pulled away, dirt and grime falling into the space beneath. "Take them to the cars, and then back to my apartment." The Crowned Whore commanded, pointing at what was stored beneath.

The men nodded in silence, and began removing the stored items to bring them to the cars as ordered. "Wait." The Crowned Whore suddenly said, and the men stopped working. The Crowned Whore looked at the items they were carrying, and took two things. One, a small velvet box, and the other, a small wooden case. "Carry on."

The men bowed and proceeded, while the Crowned Whore approached a nearby crate about as high as her torso. Placing what she'd taken on top of the crate, the Crowned Whore opened them one by one.

The velvet box carried a single gold ring inside, set with a ruby. Sparkling in the light of the fluorescents above, the gem was dull and lifeless unlike those on the Crown of Fire, but when the Crowned Whore set it on her finger it flashed, followed in sympathy by those on the crown, crimson lightning flickering over the Crowned Whore's body along with the sequential flashing of circuitry on exposed flesh.

As the lightning and circuitry died down, the Crowned Whore opened the wooden case. Inside rested two vials, enough for one injection each. The Crowned Whore smiled, recalling her master's words.

 _This should be enough to fire the first true shots of the war…yes, the war. The Tohsaka Clan War, to determine who should rightfully lead. Not by empty circumstance of birth, but by strength, talent, and achievement…as it should always have been!_

" _Soon, master, soon._ " The Crowned Whore thought. " _Victory will be yours, and with it the throne that is yours by right of your superiority over the Unchallenged Heiress._ "

The Crowned Whore closed the case, and gestured for her men. One of them approached with a bow. "Dispose of this." She said, handing him the velvet box. "And bring me two…people, who will not be missed. I'm sure you have drug pushers on the street, yes? They will do. And a pair of syringes as well."

"Yes, my lady." The man said. "Should we bring them here or to your apartment?"

The Crowned Whore silently considered the matter for a few moments before nodding. "Bring them here." She said. "And be discreet with it."

"Yes, my lady. As you command."

The Crowned Whore dismissed the man, and with a bow he departed to fulfil the given commands.

* * *

It was about a couple of hours later that the men brought before the Crowned Whore a pair of drug pushers they'd snatched off the street. They were a man and a woman, scruffy and unkempt-looking, wearing collarless shirts under pocket-festooned vests over cargo pants and boots. The man wore a hat on his head, while the woman's hair was raggedly cut short.

"So," the Crowned Whore began. "How are you?"

The drug pushers looked uneasily at each other, and flinched when the Crowned Whore made a gesture. They relaxed though, as the intimidating _yakuza_ men backed off to stand in the shadows. Still close, but far enough that they weren't a constant reminder of what they were dealing with.

"So," the Crowned Whore began again. "How are you?"

Again, the drug pushers looked uneasily at each other. "G-good…" the man said. "Been better, but…good…"

"Yeah," the woman said, nodding frantically. "Business isn't so bad these days, we get enough to get by…we pay our dues to the…uh, family, yeah, we pay our dues…"

The woman trailed off, sharing a nervous laugh with her fellow pusher. The Crowned Whore smiled at them. "I see." She said. "It's good to see you're doing so well, all things considered."

"Thank you, ma'am."

The Crowned Whore beamed. "But tell me," she continued. "If you had the opportunity to be more than just…well, small fry, on the street, would you take it?"

The pushers looked cautiously at each other. Was this…were they…were they being offered a chance to step up the ladder of the…criminal, hierarchy? If so, they couldn't really say no, though…

…what was the catch? There was _always_ a catch. Still…they couldn't really say no.

Sharing a hopeful but resigned glance at each other, the pushers turned back to the Crowned Whore. "We're honored to have been considered of value." The man said formally, and together with his partner, bowed. "And we accept."

"That's…not really an answer to my question." The Crowned Whore said. "Still, if you say that much, then so be it. You will be of use to me, and to our master."

The Crowned Whore gesture, and the _yakuza_ men stepped forward. Four of them quickly restrained the alarmed pushers, whose expressions morphed into horror as they saw another _yakuza_ man bring a tray to the Crowned Whore. On it were a pair of vials, and a pair of syringes.

They immediately realized what the 'opportunity to be more than small fry' was: test subjects, no doubt to test the effects of a new kind of illegal drug. And they weren't all that far off from the mark either.

"Oh?" The Crowned Whore asked as she emptied one vial into a syringe. "Didn't you say you accept the role being offered to you? And now you want to go back on that? We can't have that now, can we?"

The Crowned Whore nodded at the men holding the female pusher, who was brought closer to the Crowned Whore desperately struggling and begging. The Crowned Whore ignored her pleas, and simple tore a sleeve to expose the female pusher's arm.

"Relax," the Crowned Whore said. "You should be grateful, you know. With this, you will serve a much greater purpose than you otherwise would have…hold still…restrain her!"

The _yakuza_ men did as ordered, holding the sobbing pusher still as the Crowned Whore plunged the syringe into her veins, and emptied the serum inside. "There," she said afterwards. "Was that so bad? Next!"

The male pusher was brought forward, and the process from before repeated, though in contrast to the female pusher's pleas, the man spouted threats instead. He was ignored, and when all was done was thrown to the floor next to the female pusher.

He struggled to stand, only for his legs to fail him. Cold and numbness spread with terrifying speed across his body from his arm, while beside him the female pusher was twitching and beginning to convulse on the floor. It wasn't long before he joined her, and ignoring their gurgles, the Crowned Whore gestured for her men to leave them be.

"They can take care of themselves…once the process is finished." She said. "And we'd best be gone by then. After all…"

The Crowned Whore paused and chuckled. "We're 'with' Tohsaka too." She finished with a grin.

* * *

Typically, graveyard shift was a quiet time…in places.

In a police station along the circumferential road running along the seafront, it was…relatively, quiet. There wasn't much construction there, and most of the traffic at these hours were heavy trucks and vehicles taking advantage of the relative freeness of the time to move materials in bulk when they otherwise would clog up the roads.

Usually what trouble there was were caused by biker gangs or illicit drag racing circuits who liked to take advantage of cover of darkness, the length of the road, and even the heavy vehicles as impromptu obstacles. It was a dangerous game, and more than a few idiots had died playing it, and it was the police's job to keep them endangering themselves and others.

Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as common an occurrence as most people thought it was.

Police Officer Yushiro Morikawa was nursing a cup of coffee while reading a magazine when he got a call on the police telephone. "This is the police." He began with a bored tone. "Officer…yes sir. Uh…no sir, the station chief just went to the toilet. Yes, sir. Understood sir. Right away."

Morikawa placed the phone back in its cradle, and finishing his coffee in one go. " _There goes my quiet night._ " He thought while getting to his feet. After a moment, the station chief Ichizo Ishida returned from the toilet.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We got a call saying there's some kind of disturbance down at the docks." Morikawa replied. "Apparently, they're pulling in units from all over the place to deal with it."

"What the hell?" Ishida began. "What could possibly…"

The man trailed off as an explosion in the distance caught their attention, and rushing out saw a column of smoke rising from the docks, their station being close along the circumferential road to the docks. "What should we do, Ishida-sempai?" Morikawa asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ishida snapped. "Is your sidearm on you?"

"Yes it is, sir!"

"Then get in the car!" Ishida said. "I don't know what the hell is going on, but if that explosion is any indication, something big is coming down, and we need all the help we can get. Ready the car, I'll be there once I get the shotguns from inside."

"Yes, sir!"

Morikawa rushed to do as ordered, while Ishida went back into the station. A couple of minutes later and he returned, carrying a pair of shotguns and several boxes of shotgun shells. Shoving them into the car, Ishida sat on the driver's side seat as Morikawa reversed out of the station's parking space and speeded out onto the road.

"What do you think is going on, sir?" Morikawa asked over the sound of the car's siren.

"I don't know." Ishida replied. "Could be a gang fight, or something like it."

More explosions erupted up ahead, and they glanced at each other in unease. "One hell of a gang fight sir." Morikawa said.

"The _yakuza_ aren't above smuggling weapons, even military-grade ones." Ishida murmured. "Damn the syndicate. Get a move on, Morikawa."

"Yes, sir."

Despite speeding up, it still took Morikawa and Ishida about twenty minutes to get to the docks, and by then the Sun had already risen. The police car slowed to a halt next to several others, the two police officers rushing out to join their fellows. Avoiding members of the media along the way, they made their way up to and past the police line, and approaching the ranking officer present saluted.

The man saluted back. "Carry on," he said.

"What's happened here, sir?" Ishida asked.

"No idea…yet." The ranking officer said. "We got a call from some early bird workers that some kind of…monster, was on the loose here, and before we know it we've got screaming over the phone lines. The explosions…we're still trying to find out what caused those explosions, though so far the detectives think something or someone set off some gas tanks in storage in one of the warehouses around here."

"Any witnesses, sir?"

"Just some homeless bums that couldn't get out in time."

As though on cue, a pair of emergency personnel passed by, a grime and soot-covered man lying nude and unconscious on a gurney. The ranking officer shook his head at the sight. "Anyway," he said. "The detectives will handle those, go see Umesaka and he'll tell you what you need to do or if you can get back to your regular post."

"Yes sir, right away!"

Ishida and Morikawa saluted, and after the ranking officer returned the salute, left to find Officer Umesaka.

* * *

"…on other news this morning," the reporter said on TV. "There was an incident at the waterfront this morning. A series of explosions destroyed several warehouses and started a fire, with Police Superintendent Kawamura making the following statement…"

"I get a bad feeling about this." Shirou said, while listening to the superintendent's statement. Rin glanced at him curiously.

"It does?" she asked. "Why?"

"I don't know." Shirou said. "It just does. Though…it's probably just paranoia or something like it. I mean…it's probably just an accident, right?"

"Or arson, like the policeman on TV said." Rin pointed out.

Shirou nodded, and sighed. "Sorry, Rin." He said. "I guess I'm still trying too hard to be a hero."

Rin chuckled. "That you are." She said. "Don't apologize though. As long as you don't take it too far, it's just another part of you, and one you don't have to be ashamed of."

Shirou nodded, and began to clear the table. Rin nursed her coffee as Shirou did so, and as he began putting them into the sink and filling it up with soapy water, spoke up. "Oh that's right," she said. "You're going to see Fujimura-sensei today, aren't you?"

"I am." Shirou said. "Though, I can…"

"No." Rin interrupted firmly. "Go see her. She's your family too. Don't worry, I'll be fine with mom here."

"Rin…"

Rin turned to look at Shirou. "It'll be fine." She said. "Trust me. Just tell them my mom is sick, and so I couldn't come and insisted you go regardless."

"Y-yeah…"

Rin smiled at Shirou. "Good luck telling her about us getting married." She said with a wink. "You're going to need it."

Shirou sighed. "Yeah," he said. "I guess I am. Well, I'll finish washing up first, then freshen up before heading out."

"No," Rin said, getting up. "I'll take care of the dishes. You go and take a shower now, and when I'm done here I'll prepare the souvenirs we bought for Fujimura-sensei before coming home."

"But…"

"You don't think I can do the dishes?"

Shirou made a face. "Of course I do." He said. "But…"

"But what?" Rin pressed. "You made breakfast, didn't you? So it's only fair I washed up afterwards."

"…alright, alright…"

Rin beamed as Shirou gave in, handing her the apron. "I'll just go and take a shower…oh wait, what about…" he said only to be cut off by Rin.

"Mom's still asleep, but I'll check in on her later to see if she wants breakfast." Rin said. "Now shoo! To the shower with you!"

"Yes, yes." Shirou said with a roll of his eyes. "Don't push yourself."

"Who gets pushed by washing dishes?"

"…point."

Rin smiled in triumph as Shirou walked off with a sigh, back to their room to get some fresh clothes before showering up. Left alone in the kitchen, Rin put on the apron before rolling up her sleeves. "Right," she said, finishing her coffee before putting the mug in the sink as well. "Let's do this."

* * *

A/N

For those of you who want to see more of Sakura, don't worry she'll eventually show up. She'll get full chapters of her own, to flesh out her past in this AU, and what's she doing while Rin is picking up the pieces behind her.

On the Tohsaka wealth…actually yes, they are that wealthy. For all that Rin acts like a miser in canon, background materials show that even after Kirei lost most of the family's interests, the annual income of the Tohsaka Clan goes into the tens of millions of Yen, thanks to the family's patents in the Association, which he can't touch (and thus ruin). They're also not shown in the anime, but again, background material states that prior to the fourth war, the Tohsaka mansion had a full staff, which was dismissed for their own safety just before the war.

The Tohsaka Clan is rich, especially if Kirei could not ruin their wealth with Aoi around like here. So much so, in fact, that Sakura taking half of the annual income while Rin was away doesn't even noticeably dent her finances until she decided to check in detail. More on that in the future, see you around.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Chapter 6

Shirou stood in front of the Fujimura Compound, stared at by a pair of muscular thugs…literally. As in they fit the stereotype: shaved heads and stubble-covered chins, pierced ears, and dark-colored jackets over obscenely-printed shirts and jeans. Chains hung on their belts, and they leered at Shirou who looked mildly exasperated at the attention.

"Listen kid," one of them sneered. "You look new around here, so I'm going to go easy on you. Now get out of here. This isn't a place for pretty boys like you. So shoo!"

"Um, yeah," Shirou hesitantly began. "I'm actually here on business, so…"

"Business?" the thug asked.

"Yeah, I called ahead actually." Shirou said. "Uncle Raiga knows I'm coming so…"

Shirou trailed off as the thugs burst out laughing. "Oh, that was a good one." The second thug said after several moments, and wiping at his eye. "You actually had us there for a moment. But really, you expect us to believe _oyabun-sama_ would personally associate with a soft youngster like you? Yeah right…still, I haven't had a laugh like that in a long time, so like my friend here said earlier, we'll go easy on you. Now, off you go, kid. Go back to your video games and manga, and leave well enough alone."

"But, as I said, I…"

The thug from earlier growled while grabbing Shirou by the collar. "Listen kid," he said. "We're not joking around here. If it isn't clear to you…"

The man trailed off while holding up a hand, which was missing its little finger. "This compound here belongs to a…chivalrous, organization." He said. "And if you really did call ahead, we'd have been told about it. And we haven't…so I suggest you run along before I _really_ lose my temper, and you know what, you're starting to piss me off…"

"…Kaneda-san, can I get a little help here please?"

"Hey, I'm talking to you kid!" the thug snapped, shaking Shirou by the collar, and raising a fist, his friend cracking his fists beside him. "You should pay attention to your betters when they do, in fact, I think you need that lesson taught to you the hard…"

Anything else the thug might have said was cut off as both he and his friends received hard slaps on the back of their heads. "Morons!" Izumo Kaneda snapped. "What do you idiots think you're doing?"

" _Shingiin-san…_ " the first thug said, letting Shirou go in the process. "We…we were just…"

"IDIOTS!" Kaneda roared, and causing the two thugs to flinch. "Weren't you told that an old friend of the family was coming today? You should be thanking the gods that it was me and not Taiga-sama who caught you, otherwise you'd be getting more than just a slap on the head and a talking to."

"T-Taiga-sama?" the second thug stammered. "Family friend? Could it be…this wimpy…I mean…this young man is…"

"That's right." Kaneda said with a sigh, and scratching at his head. Unlike the thugs, Kaneda looked nothing like the stereotype. He was clean-shaven, and his hair was cleanly cut. His ears were free of any ornamentation, and with his business ensemble he looked no different from the typical salaryman on the street. "That young man is Shirou Emiya, the boy Taiga-sama raised, and the family friend we're expecting today."

The expression of utter mortification on the thugs' faces would have been comic…were Shirou not mortified himself, when in the next moment, they fell to their knees and pressed their heads to the ground in prostration. "P-p-please forgive us, Emiya-sama!" they chorused loudly. "Even though we had been told to expect your arrival, we failed to recognize you on sight, and treated you most disrespectfully!"

"S-stop that!" Shirou said, appalled, and giving an amused Kaneda an unhappy expression. "Seriously, it's fine, I mean…I mean, I've been gone for a few years, and…from the look of things you're new, aren't you? So it's understandable you wouldn't recognize me."

"W-We are most thankful and humbled by your forgiveness, Emiya-sama!" one thug said, still keeping his head on the ground.

"Henceforth," his friend began. "We will double our efforts to perform our duty properly, and seek to avoid a repetition of today's sins!"

"Seriously, stop it please!" Shirou pleaded. "People are staring! Look…can we just move on? You've already apologized, so I think that should be enough."

"Y-yes!" the two thugs said, finally getting to their feet and respectfully standing to the sides and bowing. "Please, enter as you will!"

Kaneda just laughed as a clearly-embarrassed Shirou stepped over the threshold and into the compound. "That was very well done." He praised Shirou, who just sighed deeply.

"Not really," he said. "All that could have been avoided if I'd just dropped my name…really now…"

Kaneda laughed again. "You've grown much taller and older since you last came here for a visit," he said. "But you're still the same sweet kid Taiga-sama doted over, aren't you?"

"There's no need to change that bit of me, is there?" Shirou asked with a laugh, and Kaneda laughed again.

"No, there isn't." he said, patting Shirou on the back. "How's that girlfriend of yours?"

"She's doing fine." Shirou said. "Could be better but…well, she got her degree, and we're…moving forward so…"

"Oh?"

Shirou smiled knowingly. "I'll tell you later, with the rest of the family." He said.

"Hey now, is it a secret from me?"

"Not really," Shirou said. "More that it's a surprise, and I wouldn't want to spoil that."

Kaneda made a disappointed sound. "Ah well," he said as they entered the house and made their way through the complex. "Good things come to those who wait…anyway…"

Kaneda trailed off as what felt and sounded like quick and heavy running could be felt and was quickly getting closer. The men's expressions turned deadpan, knowing quite well what – or rather _who_ – it was, and then Shirou's turned to horror as Kaneda patted him on the back, and gave him a thumbs up before quickly taking his leave, all the while with a solemn expression on his face.

"Hey…wait…"

Anything else Shirou might have said was cut off as a young woman with light brown hair cut into a bob literally pounced on him, and all but crushed him against the floor with a tight embrace. "SHIROU!" Taiga Fujimura wailed with exaggerated tears running down her face. "YOU'RE FINALLY BACK! I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"

"Fuji-nee…I…I can't…I can't breathe…"

"YOU'VE BEEN AWAY FOR SO LONG," Taiga continued to wail, ignoring Shirou's struggles and pained whispers. "ALL ALONE WITH THAT WRETCHED TOHSAKA GIRL WHO STOLE YOU FROM ME…"

"Fuji-nee…" Shirou continued to gasp out, Taiga continuing to wail on top of him. "Someone…help…please…"

* * *

Raiga Fujimura laughed as he watched Shirou fidget while Taiga looked properly contrite beside him, the surrogate siblings seated opposite from Raiga across a table. They sat in a small room open to the interior garden, the walls bare of decoration for the most part except for a simple but elegant ink painting behind Raiga. Chinese vases stood on pedestals in every corner, while an exquisitely fired tea set rested on the table before them.

"Really now, Taiga," Raiga chided. "I know you were excited to see your little brother again, but you should be more gentle with him. Shirou-kun isn't frail by any stretch of the imagination but…you don't really know your own strength, do you?"

"But…I…I was just really happy to see him after all, that's all." Taiga said with a pout, and Raiga laughed and nodded.

"Yes, I suppose you are." Raiga said. "Still…try not to hurt him in the process. Besides, it might cause others to make misunderstandings…"

Taiga muttered something about Rin under her breath, and while Raiga didn't quite hear it, Shirou. "Fuji-nee," he said reproachfully. "You shouldn't talk about Rin like that. She's a good girl, very hardworking and reliable. She's just…not very honest, with her feelings and emotions."

Raiga nodded thoughtfully. "Her father was like that too." He observed. "I could say the same for his father as well…really, the Tohsaka Clan have always been aloof, though that's fairly typical of the nobility, even minor ones like the Tohsaka."

"Oh right," Shirou said. "You knew Uncle Tokiomi, didn't you?"

"I wouldn't say I _knew_ the man," Raiga said thoughtfully. "But…we were…professional, with each other. We each had our role in the smooth running of things in Fuyuki, and we both had our secrets."

Raiga paused and chuckled. "He was a good man though." He said. "I could see that much. Same could be said for their clan, as far as I know. Aloof they might have been, but they took their responsibilities seriously. The man died far too young…Taiga, Shirou's girlfriend is a good girl. Trust me on this. She won't break his heart…and if he breaks her heart…"

Raiga paused and gave Shirou a meaningful gaze. "I'll personally discipline him." He said.

"U-uncle, I…"

"Yes, I know. You're not like that." Raiga said with a wave of his hand. "But, I had to say it. Elder's prerogative, I would say."

Shirou nodded. "Yes, I understand." He said before giving a small bow. "Rest assured, I won't disappoint you or Fuji-nee in any way."

Raiga nodded, and after giving a small sigh Taiga smiled and leaning over pinched Shirou's cheek with a smile. "I certainly hope not." She said cheerfully. "I raised you better than that, so I expect better from you…even if it is that Tohsaka you're with today…"

"Right, I get you…"

"By the way, what's in the bag you brought with you there?"

"Oh these?" Shirou said, glancing at his bag before smiling. "Souvenirs from my studies overseas…here you go, these are for you."

Taiga could only breathe in awe and delight as six boxes of fine and expensive Belgian and Swiss Chocolates were placed before her, and then Shirou respectfully slid a wooden case decorated with gold leaf across the table. "And this is for you, uncle." Shirou said.

"This is…!" Raiga said, his eyes widening. "Havana?"

"Yeah, took quite a bit of looking to find them," Shirou said with a smile and a shrug. "And they cost quite a bit too but…you've done so much for me over the years. We're practically family so…I don't really mind. Please, accept them uncle."

"Why Shirou…this is a magnificent gift…" Raida said, delighted while opening the case and taking out one of the cigars inside. Lifting it to his nose, Raiga took a delicate sniff of the wrapped tobacco leaves. "Hmm…most fine…"

"Huh?" Taiga turned from her chocolates and noticing what Shirou had gifted her grandfather promptly exploded. "HEY! SHIROU! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, GIFTING GRANDFATHER CIGARS? ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL HIM OR SOMETHING?"

"W-w-w-what are you talking about?" Shirou stammered out as Taiga shook him around by the collar.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Taiga roared, living up to her nickname as the 'Tiger'. "YOU GAVE HIM CANCER STICKS! AND AT HIS AGE TOO!"

"Oh hush, Taiga." Raiga scoffed, one of his men respectfully seated outside in attendance stepping in at a gesture, and offering a lighter lit the old man's cigar. "I've been smoking long before you were born. If tobacco could kill me, it'd have done so long since. And I'm old. I don't really have much time left, so I might as well enjoy it.'

"Uncle…"

"Grandfather…"

Raiga silently puffed his cigar for several moments, and smiled with satisfaction. "Bold, but smooth flavor," he said, wreathed with tobacco fumes. "Ah…it's been a while since I've had a Havana. You have my deepest thanks, Shirou my boy."

"I'm glad you like them." Shirou said with a smile and a bow, while Taiga fumed beside him. "By the way, I have something good I'd like to share with you two."

"Oh?"

"Oh?"

Shirou smiled and looking down blushed, causing Taiga to stare. And then he lifted his head, and dropped a bombshell. "I asked Rin to marry me." He said. "And she said yes."

For a moment, everything was utterly, deadly silent, almost like the calm before the storm. The men outside glanced at each other, and their once neutral expressions turned to grimaces, much like Raiga's own. They knew what was coming.

" **WHAT WAS THAT?** "

* * *

"It's not funny."

Rin ignored Shirou, and just continued to laugh. Shirou scowled, and crossed his arms while looking away. Rin kept on laughing, pointing at Shirou and forcing him to mentally count to ten to stay calm. Finally, after several seconds more, Rin subsided, and wiped an eye.

"I haven't laughed that hard in a long time." She said cheerfully. "Not since that incident involving an arrogant Frenchman, a toilet, and a stink bomb."

"I'm glad to have amused you." Shirou said dryly, but Rin just shrugged.

"So," she said. "What happened after that?"

Shirou sighed mournfully. "Two," he said. "Two boxes of expensive chocolate, and nearly the whole of a third box, were eaten by a single woman in less than five minutes just to calm her down. I should have bought more…"

Rin giggled. "Well, it's her chocolates, so if she wants to eat them all in one sitting, that's her business." She said. "And?"

"Uncle Raiga chided Fuji-nee for being loud, but…that's pretty much it." Shirou said with a sigh. "Well, on the bright side, they congratulated us, and offered to invite us to dinner to celebrate."

"You said no?" Rin asked incredulously.

"Bad timing, isn't it?" Shirou countered. "Mom's still recovering, and even if we could leave her here while eating out…it doesn't seem right, does it?"

"No, that it isn't." Rin agreed. "You explained things to Fujimura-san?"

"Leaving out the things that ought to stay secret, yeah, I did." Shirou said with a nod. "He took it well, and was the one who said that bad timing bit I said just now. Another time, I guess. After that…well, we talked about London, what we did while were there, new friends we made, places we visited, things like that. Oh…and our wedding…while I did say we've barely started planning…"

"Oh?"

"Uncle Raiga," Shirou said. "He said to tell him when we plan to hold it, since he could reserve us a country retreat to hold the wedding and reception at."

"That seems a bit…excessive…"

"Yes, well, we can't really say no." Shirou pointed out. "First of all, it's rude, considering the Fujimuras are all but family to me. Second, well…rejecting a gift from the local…syndicate…"

Shirou briefly trailed off and Rin smiled sympathetically at Shirou's discomfort at admitting the true nature of his surrogate family. "Isn't really…helpful, when it comes to good relations between the or _a_ local old family and the major…underground, player…" he finished. "That's…pretty much it…actually. And to be honest, both reasons are good, and the first is more than enough to accept the offer, in my opinion."

"That's true," Rin admitted. "Still, that's far off…but when the time comes, yeah, we should involve the Fujimura with planning. I don't think mom would disagree, though they'd probably discuss on who gets what responsibility, on the details of the wedding and the reception."

Shirou nodded in agreement. "How about things on your end?" he asked.

"Our agents are still tracing the money trail," Rin said. "What they've got seems to lead to a major new holding company based in Tokyo, and which has been making waves in the domestic and global markets. I'm still not completely sure, but I suspect the stolen money was used to establish said holding company…"

Rin trailed off, narrowing her eyes and stroking her chin. "Whoever this guy is, they're smart." She said softly. "They figured they couldn't keep stealing money from us, and instead of just stowing their loot in a bank where it might be vulnerable, they've invested it and made it much less vulnerable _and_ where it can 'grow' more money."

Shirou looked on as Rin thought in silence for several long moments, and sighed. "So what now?" he asked.

"I'm still waiting for all the money trails to be traced." Rin said. "Depending on what we find, we might have to go to Tokyo to personally check out this…"

"What's wrong?" Shirou asked as Rin trailed off, her expression angry.

Rin's response was to bite down on her finger, clearly in an effort to stay calm. "Bastards…" she snarled. "To think they were hiding in plain sight…knowing no doubt, that like most magi, I don't particularly pay good attention to the affairs of the mundane world…but the name…the name…it's like they're deliberately rubbing what they've done to our faces, those damn bastards…"

"Um…Rin?" Shirou asked. "I've lost you."

Rin gave him an icy glance. "The name of the holding company," she said. "Is Tohsaka and Company, Limited."

"…what?"

* * *

A large truck drove up to a dilapidated building, accompanied by several black Toyotas. Passersby looked on in curiosity at the sight, but then pointedly looked away and proceeded on their personal business as dark-suited men with sunglasses came out to stand guard.

The truck backed into the alley, and then the back was opened. A nude man and woman were thrown out, and then frog-marched into the building, where the Crowned Whore awaited them. She made a face at their state, and both the man and the woman were quickly wrapped in plain-looking yukata.

"What did you do to us?" the man hoarsely demanded.

"Such anger," the Crowned Whore remarked. "I would think you should be more grateful than angry, seeing as I have given your otherwise pointedly useless lives worth and meaning in the eyes of our great master."

"What?" the woman snarled. "You turned us into monsters!"

The Crowned Whore laughed with mocking amusement. At the sound, the man and the woman roared and charged forward, but then the ruby on the Crowned Whore's crown glowed, and with a gesture she sent her attackers flying backward with a shout of pain, clothes singed and edges blackening, and exposed skin marked with first and even second-degree burns.

"Such spirit," the Crowned Whore said softly. "Such fury…do not waste it against me. We serve the same master now, willingly or not, and so we must direct our efforts against her enemy, the Unchallenged Heiress. In due time, we will be rewarded for our service…and you may even feel…gratitude, for that which has been granted to you."

"You expect us to be grateful?" the man spat.

"Your strength, stamina, and agility are far beyond the Human norm." the Crowned Whore said. "Your reflexes are faster, and you heal faster as well."

The man and the woman looked at each other at that, and indeed, the burns on their skin were visibly healing in front of their eyes. And yet…the memories…the recollection of what they did last night…the taste of the soft flesh and the iron tang that came with it…

The Crowned Whore wrinkled her nose in disgust as the man and the woman vomited before her. "Disgusting…" she whispered.

"Gods above…" the man whispered, his face filled with uncomprehending horror. "What have we done…gods above what have we done…"

The woman gagged, and then looking around, scrambled for a sharp and jagged piece of metal nearby. There was a flash of light and the crack of displaced air and breaking stone, and the woman was sent flying with more minor burns and even cuts on her flesh.

The Crowned Whore lowered her hand, the jewel on her ring ceasing to glow as she did so. "So," she said with a sigh. "It seems you will not submit willingly…the woman at least…what say you, young man?"

The answer was a gobbet of spit at the Crowned Whore's feet. "Screw you, you bitch," the man spat. "And the same goes for your gods-damned master."

The Crowned Whore stared icily down at them for several long moments, and then she narrowed her eyes. "So be it." She said, and then the ruby on her crown began to glow brightly. The man and the woman gasped as they were paralyzed, rendered unable to move by its light. "The master had hoped you would simply accept your role in the Grand Plan, but, whether you did or did not, she saw the need for…bloodthirsty, hounds to be collared regardless."

The Crowned Whore gestured, and a man stepped forward, carrying a case. The Crowned Whore opened it, exposing a pair of collars, made from black leather with jade centerpieces. The Crowned Whore took them, and stepping forward bound them around the neck of the man and woman.

"Now," she said, stepping back as the ruby on her crown faded. "Rest, eat, and husband your strength for tonight."

"…yes, as you command."

* * *

Rin sat in the living room of the Kotomine Church. Several days had passed since she'd found out about 'Tohsaka & Co., Ltd.', and while there were still a few more leads that needed looking into, it was all but certain that the stolen money had been funneled into the mockingly-named company.

" _Turning mockery into reality will be the perfect form of retribution._ " Rin thought. " _They stole our money, and used our name, so it's only right that when the time comes, that company would belong to us. All that hard work…for its fruits to be taken away…it's just part of you deserve, you thieving bastards._ "

Rin blinked, and then turned to Caren as the priestess arrived, carrying a tea set with her. Placing it on the table, she poured a cup for Rin and gently slid it to her. Rin took it gratefully, and smiled while taking a sip. The tea was genuinely good, both the leaves used and the preparation.

"How has your investigation gone?" Caren asked, sitting opposite Rin and taking a sip of tea as well.

Rin quickly explained what had so far been found, Caren nodding in understanding every so often. "I see." She said, taking another sip of tea. "Academically-speaking, it was a wise move to do so, to invest the stolen money in the mundane world. As you yourself have deduced, it may have helped keep you from noticing for a time, magi in general not being too…observant, of the mundane side of things. And it certainly allows the money to…grow, and of course makes it less vulnerable than if simply stored – relatively – untouched in a bank."

Rin nodded, and then narrowed her eyes. "Though," she said. "It seems whoever they are, they've made a mistake by using my family's name."

"Certainly, that is so." Caren agreed with a nod. "Once you were onto their crimes, it helped dispel doubts that said company was…where, the money was being funneled into. And it offers further avenues for…retribution, should you choose to do so."

"I'll keep that in mind." Rin said, taking a calming drink of her tea. "For all they've done, I'll grind them down as hard as I can, leaving them with nothing for all the trouble they've gone through and all they've caused me and my family. Shirou's there too…"

"Be careful, Rin." Caren warned. "Certainly, eye for an eye was something prescribed by the Lord in ancient times for wrongs wrought upon one by another, but also remember: turn the other cheek. For in seeking revenge, one has a good chance of inadvertently digging one's grave next to one's object of vengeance."

Rin didn't reply at once, instead taking a calming drink of her tea again. "Yes, I know." She finally said. "I'll be careful, just in case."

Caren nodded, and taking a drink of her tea placed it and its saucer on the table. "Now then," she said. "I understand that you have been justifiably focused on your family's wrongs, but…your responsibilities, as the Second Owner remain. And I have reason to suspect that this issue may be connected to the wrongs inflicted on your family."

"What does that mean?" Rin asked.

"Have you heard of the recent swath of serial killings across the city?"

"Yes, of course I have."

"Good," Caren said with a nod. "Because they've been covered up. I looked into them, just in case, serial killings potentially being the work of some form of…magical beast or a Dead Apostle…"

Caren trailed off, and Rin narrowed her eyes. "What did you find out?" she asked.

"All the victims had their heads bashed open," Caren replied. "And their brains gouged out and apparently, _eaten_."

Rin gasped, her face blanching in horror. Caren refilled her teacup, and offering a refill did the same to Rin's teacup. "Many also had their spinal columns torn out," the priestess continued. "And the nerves within cut out and also eaten…and more than that, when I looked into them, it seemed someone's been…altering memories and fabricating or destroying evidence to keep the truth from…being exposed."

"Dead Apostle?"

"Unlikely," Caren said with a shake of her head. "They drink blood, and while the consumption of flesh is not unknown, just…brains, and nerves primarily being targeted…together with the cover up, this smacks more of some sort of experiment by a magus, perhaps, no, _almost certainly_ a heretic."

Rin took a deep breath, and emptied her teacup in one drink. "Is that all?" she asked, while placing her teacup and its saucer on the table.

In response, Caren took a rolled up map beside her, and unrolled it on the table beside the tea set. It was a map of Fuyuki City, and using a red marker the priestess began marking the incidents known as serial killings over the previous nights. At first, Rin looked on with dark curiosity, but it wasn't long before her eyes widened and she gasped in shocked realization.

The string of incidents was not only getting closer, but was following a line straight to her property.

* * *

A/N

Some comedy, courtesy of the tiger and her grandfather. And then things get nasty.

Next chapter (or two), things finally go into action.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Chapter 7

The train gently slowed to a halt at the train station, doors sliding open to allow the passengers to disembark with orderly haste, an automated voice speaking through the station's speakers. It announced the name of the station, the estimate time of arrival for the next train, and several safety reminders for both embarking and disembarking passengers.

Among the disembarking passengers was a tall man with rugged if worn features, his roughly combed-back hair greying with age, and whose dark brown eyes seemed deep and heavy from decades of life experience. Apart from that, the man didn't look particularly special, wearing a black and white business ensemble that one would expect a middle-aged corporate executive would wear…and the man certainly looked the part, especially with the somewhat bulky suitcase he was carrying.

There was just one thing that stood out…a long, narrow object, wrapped in cloth and carried diagonally across the man's back on a leather strap. The station's security guards quickly discovered it for what it was, but a glance at the license the man had with him had them waving him through, certifying as it did that he had the legal rights to carry a bladed weapon so long as it was properly stowed in transit.

As he exited the station, the man stepped aside, reaching into a pocket as he stepped into an out of the war corner, and pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Tapping out a cigarette, the man raised it to his lips, and cupping the lighter lit the cigarette and took a long drag before blowing out a stream of blue smoke.

Leaving the cigarette in his mouth, the man went on his way, replacing the pack and lighter in his pocket and lightly puffing as he went down the streets. A good way away from the train station, the man came to a halt before an appliance store, joining a small crowd of pedestrians watching the news.

"…on other news this afternoon," the news presenter said from behind her desk. "The police have finally released the names of the most recent victims of the serial killer at large…"

The man watched in silence as a short list of names were given by the news presenter, who then turned to a police detective seated next to her. "Detective Kuroyama," she began. "Please go ahead."

"Thank you, Nakabayashi-san." The detective said with a nod. "So far, we've managed to confirm the MO of the serial killer at large, along with beginning to notice what seems to be a pattern to…"

The man continued to watch as the detective explained what progress the investigation had made so far, and taking his cigarette the man tapped the ashes off before returning the cigarette to his mouth. "…a motive hasn't been found yet," the detective said in response to a question from the news presenter. "But as the killings are the work of a serial killer, it's likely any motive will be rather…"

Taking another drag on his cigarette, the man walked to one side where stood a public trashcan topped with an ashtray. Blowing out another stream of smoke, the man crushed the cigarette butt against the ashtray, before returning to the storefront and the news. "…ordinary citizens are urged to wary…" the news presenter was saying, but the man was already leaving.

" _Give me a break,_ " he thought. " _Phase one is complete, and it ended as might be predicted._ _How pointless…those two survived a Holy Grail War, rabid dogs made from discards of your experiments into regeneration serum aren't going to work against them._ "

Coming to a halt, the Ascended Beggar looked up at the overcast afternoon sky for a moment and sighed before continuing on his way. " _Kiyo…_ " he thought. " _The Crowned Whore…I wonder how useful she's really going to be, in my opinion she's only somewhat better than those knights of yours, little lady. Well, if nothing less, she and her bunch of thugs should be useful gauging at what level Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya stand on at present._ "

The Ascended Beggar smiled to himself. " _Now then_ _,_ " he thought. " _Shall I see if phase two needs a hand to be set into motion?_ "

* * *

The house was dark…but not silent. The darkness of night lay heavy inside the house, the air thick with the stink of blood and raw meat beginning to rot. Wet and eager chewing could be heard in the darkness, four figures silhouetted in what little light there.

Two of them were limp, one lying on the ground and another held before a third figure. The third and the fourth figures were alive with feral, animalistic energy, the former kneeling behind a man, the man's face slack and pale with death, blood trickling from around its head to drip down onto its body or onto the ground.

The man's head had been bashed open from behind, exposing the brain within. The man's killer dove in periodically, taking wet mouthfuls from the man's brain, and eagerly chewing at the pale flesh before swallowing and diving in for more.

The lady of the house lay nearby, her face set in deathly shock, and like her husband her head had been smashed open, though in a more violent fashion, causing the grey matter within to splatter out in part. Broken fragments of her skull had been licked clean by her killer, and used to scrape out the rest of her brain before the woman's spine had been torn out.

The fourth figure in the house, another woman, now held that spine in one hand, licking and slurping out nervous fibers one vertebra at a time. There was a squelching sound and the woman looked up, to her partner, who like her had finished with his prey's brain and had now torn out his prey's spine.

Their eyes met and feral animalistic grins were shared. The woman walked over her prey's body, and approaching the man offered one of her prey's vertebra to him. Likewise, the man tore one of his prey's vertebra from the rest of the bloody spinal column.

Accepting each other's offering, they licked and sucked the nerves out and without swallowing, pressed their lips against each other. Blood, saliva, and ichor trickled down their chins as they sloppily kissed each other, bloody hands pawing and clawing at each other's bodies as the man pushed the woman down against the ground…

…and then they snapped away from each other, their enhanced senses sensing…danger, or rather, others nearby. Ears twitched, hearing the faintest footsteps coming around the house while sensing the presence of another at the front.

This sense of danger burned through the fog of animalistic hunger and lust, allowing a measure of the (chained) consciousness to resurface, the man pulling back from the woman who likewise pulled herself up to a crouching position. "I'll take the front." The man said.

"Then I'll take the back." The woman said.

They shared a nod, and then parted ways. Approaching the front door with predatory grace, the man cracked his neck and his joints before reaching out with a hand for the doorknob. Slowly but steadily, he turned it open, and then quickly pulled the door inward.

There was no one outside.

Cautiously, the man looked out, muscles tense, ready to respond or pounce depending on who or what he might find outside. There was no one there, on either side, and yet…there was that…sense, that someone _was_ there.

The man stepped back, confused, and then moving faster than a Human being ought to, a dark shape dropped down from above and kicked the man flying back down the corridor behind.

* * *

Shirou landed in a crouch, staring down with hard and cold eyes at the monster he'd kicked further in. The moment he and Rin had arrived at this house a few minutes ago, he knew it was too late, too late to save those inside. That all too familiar stink of death…

…the house reeked with it.

But while it was too late to save the people who lived in his house, it wasn't too late to give them justice.

One of the killers now rested on the far side of the corridor from the door, kicked all the way back with reinforced limbs. It should have been fatal, the force of the reinforced blows sufficient to rupture multiple internal organs and cause shock and death, but…

…that doesn't take the influence of the supernatural into account.

The killer was a surprisingly normal-looking young man, dressed in nondescript clothes…if they weren't liberally splattered with blood that is. That, and the fact that despite taking a blow that would have killed an ordinary man, the man was getting back up, coughing and spitting blood while glaring murderously at Shirou.

" _That did some damage._ " Shirou thought. " _But, it looks like he managed to recover. That's fine though…this way, I can capture him alive, and bring him back to Rin so she can see what makes this monster tick._ "

Shirou narrowed his eyes, holding out his hands. " _I don't know why,_ " he thought. " _But I just know this guy isn't quite Human…not a magus…not a vampire…but not a puppet or a familiar or something like those either. But what?_ "

"Trace," he whispered, tensing just as his opponent did. "On!"

With a snarl, the man leaped forward, hands clenched into fists and one raised as though to strike at Shirou. But Shirou was faster, and with throwing motions he threw Kansho and Bakuya, and separated the man's arms from his body. A moment later, and another pair of blades were thrown, one severing the man's leg mid-thigh and the other cutting through another leg just above the knee.

The man fell screaming, blood splattering everywhere, Shirou swallowing dryly before gathering his resolve and entering the house. He'd barely taken two steps when he came to a halt, gasping lightly and widening his eyes in surprise.

"What the hell?" he whispered.

The man's screaming stopped, turning to heavy grunting and roaring as though exerting effort…and a stunned Shirou watched as bone visibly grew from bleeding stumps, dark nerves and blood vessels and pink and pale flesh covered the bone, expanding and differentiating until the man heaved himself up into a sitting position. His head snapped up with a feral grin at Shirou, and then with a snarl the man threw himself at the magus.

Shirou stepped back in time, but his eyes widened as he felt the air displaced by the man's blow. He dodged the succeeding series of blows, one reducing much of a wall to rubble, and jumping back out of the house drew the man into the open. Prana flashed as Shirou traced Kansho and Bakuya yet again, and jumping back to open the space, held both blades out before leaping in.

Metal flashed in a crisscrossing motion, and the man screamed as he was cleanly bisected at the waist, blood erupting in a crimson fountain as Shirou stepped past. And then turning, he struck down with Kansho, cutting a bloody arc diagonally across the man's back as he fell, and severed his spine.

As the man fell bloodily on the ground, Shirou relaxed, taking a deep breath and wiping at his forehead. And then he blinked, and gasped. "No way…" he whispered.

Though the man's lower half lay still and unresponsive on the ground, the upper half was twitching and squirming convulsively, the man's screams turning to grunts and snarls, Shirou watching in disbelief as bone and flesh grew unnaturally, rebuilding the man's lower body at a quick pace. "What…is this?" Shirou whispered.

The man heaved himself around on his back, and snarled at Shirou…

…who promptly took his head off with a swing.

It flew to a side, bouncing a few times before rolling to a halt, it's face set in a snarl. The headless body stopped growing, instead slumping back and bleeding out while lying still. Then the head seemed to twitch, Shirou throwing Kansho to smoothly bury its blade through the man's forehead, and the thing finally stayed still.

Shirou shook his head. "What…what the hell was that?" he whispered before an explosion shook the air and ground from behind the house. "RIN!"

* * *

Rin clutched at her bleeding arm, crouched on the edge of a smoking crater behind the house. The explosion had also done quite the number on the back of the house, though she didn't particularly care much. The sound of running drew her attention, but it was just Shirou running around a corner.

"RIN!" he shouted, as he saw her condition.

Rin smiled reassuringly as she got to her feet. "It's fine." She told him as he came to a stop in front of her. "The little monster tried to take a bite out of me, but it's nothing too serious."

"A bite out of you? Hey, wait a minute…!"

"It'll be fine." Rin repeated. "They're not vampires, for all that they regenerate like them, or fight like ghouls."

Shirou didn't look convinced at first, but after a few moments he sighs and nods. "Good points, I guess." He said. "And we've fought vampires before, and yeah, they don't feel like them. But, if that's the case, then what are they?"

"No idea." Rin said with a sigh, turning to look back at the crater and making a sound of disgust. "Damn it…I went too far after she bit me, but…"

"It's fine." Shirou said, placing a hand on Rin's shoulder. "I understand."

"But, without a body I won't be able to even try figuring out what they were." Rin said with a shake of her head. "I wasted a potential lead, damn it…"

"Yeah, that's true…but the one I killed is in one piece…kind of…"

Rin glanced at Shirou, who smiled at her and gestured around the house. Rin smiled back, and nodded. "Good work." She said.

Shirou shrugged. "I do my best." He said.

Rin nodded. "Lead the way." She said, already pulling out a gem to heal her arm. Shirou nodded and led the way back around the house, Rin following until they stood before the dismembered corpse of the man.

"Definitely not a vampire alright." Rin said, sinking down to one knee. "Vampires…burn, when their bodies are destroyed. Ghoul…it doesn't feel right…but…what are they?"

"Looks like you're going to have to look into this in detail." Shirou observed.

"It looks like it." Rin agreed, already pulling out gems to store the dismembered body. "But that's going to have to wait until we get this body back to my workshop. And quickly, before the cops get here. Once we take down our bounded field, it won't be long before the cops are all over this place."

Shirou nodded in agreement, and just kept a wary eye out while Rin was busy storing the body. He couldn't put his finger on it, but somehow…it felt…as though…someone was watching.

 _Is it a familiar?_

 _Or are they hiding somewhere nearby?_

 _It doesn't feel like they'll attack soon, but even so…_

Shirou blinked, and then turned to Rin who had finished storing the body. The jewels in which it was kept vanished into a pocket, but Rin was still busy closely examining what looked like a necklace of some sort. "What's that?" Shirou asked.

Rin didn't answer at once, instead running a finger over the jade centerpiece before finally giving an answer. "It's a mystic code of some kind." She said.

"A mystic code?" Shirou asked. "What does it do?"

"I don't know yet." Rin answered. "I can find out, but it might take some time."

"I see."

"But," Rin continued. "That's not the most interesting, or troubling thing about this piece of jewelry."

"Huh?"

"If I didn't know better," Rin said, getting to her feet. "I made this mystic code."

"Huh? But…how…no, wait…it can't be…"

Rin nodded, her expression hard and angry. "It looks to me," she said coldly. "That the bastard who took advantage of my family, isn't finished with us just yet. Damn them."

* * *

The Sun rose into a clear sky, shining warm and bright in the morning. The skyline of Fuyuki glittered as far as the Crowned Whore's eyes could see, seated on an armchair sitting next to large windows that led out to her apartment's balcony. "I see." She said. "So the dogs were put down with little trouble."

"Yes." One of her men said with an apologetic bow. "Please accept my apologies."

"There's no need to apologize." The Crowned Whore said. "Certainly, there was a small chance those dogs would have eliminated the Unchallenged Heiress and her lover, but as far as I am aware, such a development would have been as much a disappointment to the Masked Master as it would have contributed to her cause. Indeed, the death of the dogs is not just the expected outcome, but is the optimal one."

"Yes, it is as you say, my lady."

The Crowned Whore nodded and looked out the windows. "The first blow is always a feint." She said softly. "The next blow will fall with greater strength, of that there will be no doubt."

"However," the man began. "What of the body that was recovered by the enemy? Will that be a concern?"

"It is not." The Crowned Whore said. "The dogs were produced by a flawed form of regenerative serum that causes…unwanted, side effects. While it is entirely possible that the Unchallenged Heiress would uncover its existence and perhaps even synthesize – given time – the serum itself, either would do her no good within any meaningful span of time."

"And the necklace?"

"The Unchallenged Heiress is already aware that the Masked Master has partaken of her family's knowledge and power." The Crowned Whore said. "The necklace falling into the former's hand will provide no further contribution's cause."

"Yes, it is as you say, my lady."

The Crowned Whore nodded, and made a dismissive nature. "If there is nothing more, then you may go." She said.

"My lady," the man began. "There are two other issues for your attention."

"Oh?"

"First, there is another claiming to serve the Masked Master seeking to see you."

"What?" the Crowned Whore said in surprise, and then narrowed her eyes. "He is here?"

"Yes."

"Send him in immediately."

"Yes, my lady."

The man bowed and left only to return in less than a minute, with three others. Two were like him, while the last…

"Oh…Kiyo…you're looking well, I see." The newcomer arrived.

"Kiyo Fukuizumi is dead." The Crowned Whore growled. "She was weak, a delusional fool who thought she had turned her circumstances to her advantage, when in fact she was but a puppet, dancing whenever Fujimura pulled her strings, a hollow shell that lacked purpose and meaning. There is only I…"

"Yes, yes," the newcomer interrupted. "You, the Crowned Whore, who was remade and made useful in the eyes of the Masked Master."

The newcomer snorted and shook his head. "I've heard all this before." He said. "The little lady…no, the Masked Master…"

The newcomer trailed off and sighed. "That is of no concern." He said. "And what disputes lie between us…is just as of no concern. What matters is that we fulfill our roles in our master's design."

"Who are you?"

"The Ascended Beggar."

The Crowned Whore stared silently, the Ascended Beggar staring back without so much as a flinch. And then the former chuckled, and rising to her feet stared out across the skyline with her hands behind her back. "The Masked Master loves irony, doesn't she?" she remarked. "She takes that which others would see as weak, and improves upon them."

The Ascended Beggar chuckled and nodded. "That's true." He admitted. "It's so very much like Lady Sakura, be it as the Exiled Princess or as the Masked Master."

"Exiled Princess?" the Crowned Whore echoed, turning to face the Ascended Beggar. The man just smiled silently at her, and the Crowned Whore narrowed her eyes. She turned to fully face him, and approached to within a few steps. The ruby on her crown began to glow, bathing the Ascended Beggar in its light.

Lines glowed and ran across exposed skin, and vanished into his clothes. More than that, information and proof that could not be seen in any way were found and passed directly into the Crowned Whore's mind, and after a few moments the ruby dulled.

"I see." She said, taking a step back. "You truly are one of the Masked Master's servants. Why have you come? The Grand Plan does not mention your presence in any way, or for that matter, your existence. And yet…that you are our master's servant and creation cannot be denied."

"Plans change…or developments that were originally unpredicted and are thus outside the plan's scope could easily develop during implementation." The Ascended Beggar said. "I came as backup, just in case."

"I see." The Crowned Whore said with a nod. "So, what will you do now? Will you cooperate with me?"

"No, proceed as planned in your case." The Ascended Beggar said. "I will remain in reserve under my own initiative, to take corrective action as needed."

"I see."

"In particular," the Ascended Beggar continued. "There is one variable at present that I wish to…gauge, in person."

"Oh?"

"Shirou Emiya," the Ascended Beggar said, walking past the Crowned Whore to look out the windows and at the Fuyuki skyline beyond. "While the plan takes his presence at Rin Tohsaka's side into account…that boy is still something of a wild card. A nobody taken in by the Magus Killer after the Fourth Holy Grail War, and who not only survived the Fifth Holy Grail War did so as the default co-victor alongside Rin Tohsaka…a supposed, prodigy, who then took him as her apprentice."

The Crowned Whore was silent, and after a long moment the Ascended Beggar turned back to face her. "It cannot be denied that Rin Tohsaka is our master's…peer, at the very least." He said. "Even if he is or was a nobody, so were we."

"You think the Unchallenged Heiress did to him as the Masked Master did to us?" the Crowned Whore sneered. "Preposterous!"

"Perhaps, perhaps not." The Ascended Beggar said, walking past the Crowned Whore. "Either way, I will find out tonight."

"You will be wasting your time."

"It is my time to waste." The Ascended Beggar said with a shrug. "In any case, Lady Sakura has given me the authority to take action as I see fit to correct errors and adjust for variables and discrepancies as needed, for when the Grand Plan does not include them in its predictions."

"…you expect me to believe that?"

The Ascended Beggar lifted an eyebrow over a shoulder at the Crowned Whore. "You think I can go against our master's directives any more than you can?" he asked, and she looked away. He nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I thought. Therefore, refrain from further action until I finish my own declared coming action. I take my leave."

The Crowned Whore grit her teeth at the clear dismissal, but waited until he had left her apartments before exploding. "Scum!" she spat. "Why would the Masked Master involve someone like him? The Unchallenged Heiress and her pet won't escape us!"

With a snarl, she turned to stomp over to the windows to look over Fuyuki again, trying to calm herself by gazing out at the glittering skyline. It would be several minutes before she spoke up.

"And what was the second issue you mentioned earlier?" she quietly asked.

The attendant looked uncomfortable. "Fujimura…was making inquiries." He said.

"And?"

"As planned," the attendant said. "We informed him you were inconvenienced. However, he may attempt to…take action in person, regardless."

The Crowned Whore snorted. "So be it then." She said. "If that is the case, then I will deal with that little man myself."

* * *

Standing alone in an elevator as it descended down to the ground floor, the Ascended Beggar chuckled to himself. " _Kiyo,_ " he thought to himself. " _You are a mistake. Or rather, what you think about the elaborate role you think you have in what you call the Grand Plan is a mistake…deliberately encouraged by Lady Sakura. After all, you're largely just a way to gather data for her ancillary research, and in your case what she calls a 'binary system'._ "

The Ascended Beggar smiled to himself as he thought back to his last meeting with the rebellious younger Tohsaka sister.

 _Kiyo is insane. Okay, that's largely my fault, she was already delusional to cope with what had happened to her before I picked her up, and while she's useful – I wouldn't have picked her up if she wasn't – I had to encourage and direct her delusions to make her useful. Otherwise, she'd just be a wreck sobbing in a corner or lying catatonic in bed. Not very useful to me, either way._

 _Ryuuji…simple plans are best…and while the predetermined plan is only composed of two parts, that insane woman might unconsciously elaborate on it with her delusions and all. When the plan goes into motion…correct it. Use whatever means necessary…_

… _but as I said…simple is best. Just expose her existence, drop obvious hints for my older sister to follow, and force Kiyo to go straight to phase two, ignoring whatever elaborations she might have added on the plan._

 _Though, on the small chance she hasn't elaborated on it, leave her be._

 _Afterwards, whether or not she succeeds, come and find me. I'll be either at my chateau or at the Clock Tower._

 _See you around._

Ryuuji chuckled. " _Alright, little lady,_ " he said. " _Looks like it's time to earn my keep. And to play my role in this little game you're playing. I'll do my best…if only because I want to see how it all ends, one way or another. See you soon, Lady Sakura._ "

* * *

A/N

Short battle scene, but it'd be disappointing if Rin and Shirou went down to pathetic little dogs like those, basically the products of recycled discards of Sakura's experiments. I promise, the next battle – Ryuuji vs Shirou – will be flashier than this one.


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, it is owned by Kinoko Nasu.

The Tohsaka Clan War

Chapter 8

The Ascended Beggar walked down the street, along the exterior wall of the Fujimura compound, and firmly tossing steel daggers with jeweled hilts into the pavement at regular intervals. He completed one full circuit around said compound, and then as he approached the first dagger, raised a finger to his mouth and bit down on it. Blood welled out of the self-inflicted injury, and holding out his finger, the Ascended Beggar allowed a few drops of blood to fall on the dagger.

The jewels on the hilt began to glow, and then forming a perimeter between themselves the daggers enclosed the entire Fujimura compound in a shell of shimmering energy. At least, for those with the eyes to see. The Ascended Beggar smiled, and then touching the field narrowed his eyes. He'd looked into the background of Shirou Emiya, to find avenues to get the young man where the Ascended Beggar wanted him…and found it. His – former – guardian, Taiga Fujimura. The granddaughter of the local _yakuza_ boss…

…well, that required some adjustments, but nothing the Ascended Beggar couldn't handle. Besides…he had a few scores to settle himself, going back to before the Exiled Princess had found him. Technically he'd settled them already but…despite everything the Exiled Princess had done to him…he was still, at his core, Human.

And that included both the good and the bad. And bad habits die hard.

The Ascended Beggar looked around, and crossing the street walked down a bit to a bench and sat down. Taking out a pack of cigarettes, he pulled a stick out with his teeth, and lighting it enjoyed a smoke while waiting for the Fujimura woman to get home. Circuit board patterns flashed across exposed and unexposed skin alike, generating a field around him to 'encourage' the ungifted to ignore his presence.

As it was, by the time Taiga Fujimura returned home to the compound, night had already fallen fully, and the Ascended Beggar had exhausted his pack of cigarettes. Despite this, he didn't move…yet.

Let things settle for just a bit more…

…finally, about an hour after Taiga Fujimura returned home, the Ascended Beggar got to his feet. Crossing the street, he pressed a hand against the bounded field, which flashed once to switch to active mode, though it did allow him to enter.

There were a couple of guards standing at the entrance, their heads shaved and dressed like typical street thugs. They turned belligerently at the Ascended Bagger as he approached, and sneered at him.

"What's your business here?" one of them demanded. "Unless it's serious, you can get out of here. The society's closed for the day, come back tomorrow."

The Ascended Beggar smiled, reaching behind him with both hands, and sliding out a pair of cylinders where they'd been holstered at his belt. With a sharp snap-hiss, glowing blue-white blades of energy extended outwards from the cylinders, and the Ascended Beggar crossed them with an electric whine and angry crackling before him and the stunned guards.

And then he charged forward, uncrossing his beam sabers and dragging them along the ground behind him. Several steps from the guards, he leaped into the air, spinning and then dropping. Screams were quickly cut off as both guards went down, bisected nearly in half, cauterized flesh filling the air with the smell of burned flesh.

More guards rushed out from the foyer, and stared at the scene before them. With roars of rage several of them rushed forward, the Ascended Beggar meeting their charge with his own. Roars turned to cries of pain as they were cut down one after another, the Ascended Beggar moving with superhuman speed and agility as he cut through their ranks, leaving cooling and dismembered corpses around him.

The three remaining guards looked on in horror, and then the eldest among them barked an order, the youngest running to get help. The remaining two drew _wakizashi_ from inside their coats, and rush forward with angry shouts.

Rising to his full height, the Ascended Beggar rotated his sabers, and then striking forward carved through steeland then Human flesh, leaving corpses and swords melted through to fall to the ground.

The sound of running feet caught the Ascended Beggar's attention, coming from three directions. One from inside the building, and two around the compound. Circuits flashed over his flesh as he ran forward, then leaped up, on the roof and across it, to jump down in the middle of one of the groups of armed men running around the compound.

Shouts of alarm turned to those of fear, pain, and terror, the stink of burning flesh filling the air as he cut them to pieces. One man managed to get clear of the murderous melee, and screaming with his eyes wild, fired his SMG on full auto at the Ascended Beggar.

The Ascended Beggar staggered and faltered as bullets ripped through his torso…and then the man's gun clicked on empty. Dead, utter silence filled the air, except for the heavy breathing of those present. The Ascended Beggar coughed, blood exploding from his mouth, and then he grinned.

The man with the gun gasped…and then he gasped again, before falling into four, separate pieces as the Ascended Beggar swung down diagonally with both beam sabers.

The men from both the house and the other group which had gone around the screamed and opened fire with their guns, but the Ascended Beggar was ready now. Circuits flashed as he adjusted his body's functions, reanimation and regeneration protocols alike competing with combat subroutines and the primary operating system for limited energy and other operational requirements.

Sparks flew through the air as the Ascended Beggar blocked _each and every_ bullet from the _yakuza_ men's guns, those not vaporized instantly on contact with the beam sabers splattering away as molten drops. A blue glow filled the air at the superhuman movements of the sabers, and then the guns of the _yakuza_ clicked on empty.

Silence again fell, and the _yakuza_ dropped their guns, and went for their side arms. Before they could pull them out though, the most senior among them fell with a cry, beam saber thrown through the air to impale him through the chest. And then the Ascended Beggar was charging forward, one saber held in a guarding position to his right, and his left hand held forwards, fingertips pointed.

Circuits glowed across the hand as glowing blue bolts were rapidly fired at the _yakuza_ men, who went down with cries of pain and alarm. The bolts burned through flesh and cloth alike with ease, leaving smoking holes through the _yakuza_ 's clothes and bodies as they collapsed, dead or dying to the ground. And then the Ascended Beggar was among them, swinging his beam saber in great, glowing arcs cutting down the survivors and leaving only corpses in his wake.

Picking up the beam saber thrown earlier, the Ascended Beggar wiped his chin with a sleeve, and sighed as he looked down and took in his bloody appearance. " _This was an expensive set of clothes._ " He silently grumbled while heading into the house. " _Ah well…it's all part of the job…_ "

The Ascended Beggar paused as he heard what seemed like a car crash from the back, and narrowed his eyes and then smiled as she smelled burning and saw smoke rising from the back. " _Sounds like they ran into the bounded field at high speed…sorry, but it's not going to be easy._ " He thought as he resumed walking into the building.

But as the Ascended Beggar crossed the threshold, a man burst from hiding inside, and with a shout brandished a _naginata_. The Ascended Beggar dodged the first couple of swings, only for a feint to leave him wide open, and allowing the _naginata_ to be driven into his guts.

The man shouted in triumph as he pushed the weapon in further, and forced the Ascended Beggar back several steps. A twist of the haft had the Ascended Beggar shouting in pain as his guts were torn apart, and the man shouted in triumph.

A triumph that was cut short, as the Ascended Beggar swung down with a fist, and shattered the _naginata_ 's haft with one blow. The man holding it blanched, and then gasped as the Ascended Beggar rushed forward, grabbing him with by the collar. And then pulling out the head from his body, the Ascended Beggar reversed it and stabbed it through the man's head and out the back.

The man fell dead on the ground, and the Ascended Beggar stumbled against the wall, breathing hard. Circuits flashed all over his body, his torn guts pulling back into place or even back into his body, ruined flesh knitting back together and the pain ebbing away.

With a last, deep breath, the Ascended Beggar rose to his full height, and picking up his beam sabers advanced further into the building.

* * *

Blue bolts glowed as they burned through the air, gunning down _yakuza_ thugs as they vainly tried to escape the fusillade. Wood and paper doors fell and more _yakuza_ thugs came out, screaming while clutching a variety of weapons: clubs, batons, shock batons, knives, even _tantos_ and _wakizashi_.

A beam saber arced in brilliant blue-white, cutting down _yakuza_ one after another. And then stepping over their corpses, the Ascended Beggar finally reached the last obstacle to his objective after having cleared the rest of the building: the big, metal, double doors that led to the garage. A swing of the beam saber severed the lock, and it took only a moment to pull the doors open…

There was blazing flash of light, a searing burst of pain, and…

…and…

…and…more pain, from what felt like countless sharp metal pieces that had buried themselves into his body. His ears rang and his head swam, but already reanimation and regeneration protocols were in effect…

…huh…he could have sworn one of the shrapnel pieces – probably from a mine or some other bomb the _yakuza_ had planted in front of the door, rigged to explode when it was opened – had planted itself into his forehead…

…but if that was the case…then it wasn't deep enough. And if it wasn't, and his brain remained undamaged, and his body wasn't _that_ damaged either, then it should be well within the scope of his reanimation and regeneration protocols.

 _Don't get overconfident, Ryuuji._

 _Even with all your mods, you're not invincible. If you get brain damage for instance, or if your body is, well, vaporized, then you're going to die._

…

 _Yes, even if your brain is intact, if your body takes too much damage, the reanimation and regeneration protocols won't work._

…

 _Alright, alright, I won't push it. Just…try not to get yourself killed, alright?_

" _Humph…little lady…how much do you really care, I wonder?_ " the Ascended Beggar asked himself, as he lay under a jagged and twisted piece of metal that was once one of the doors leading to the garage. " _No…I already know the answer. To you, I'm just a useful pawn…or a literal miracle that just…happened, and which you never expected or planned for and don't want to lose…but I don't mind. I…I don't mind at all, little lady. After all, you…_ "

The Ascended Beggar blinked, his thoughts trailing off as he heard voices. Moving his free hand, he pulled out another cylinder, and then another man, dressed in a _yukata_ , grew visible as he pulled the metal fragment off the Ascended Beggar.

The man's eyes barely had time to widen, as a beam dagger ignited and was stabbed up through his chest and into his heart. And then he toppled forward, crumpling to the ground on top of the Ascended Beggar along with the piece of metal he'd pulled off just moments ago.

Somewhere nearby, a woman screamed, full of loss and grief. Angry shouts and cursing could be heard, but circuits were already flashing, bringing combat subroutines back online and adjusting body functions to compensate for inactive and damaged systems.

With a heave and a powerful roar, the Ascended Beggar through off the corpse and the piece of metal, sending them flying into the other, surviving _yakuza_ men and sending most of them tumbling to the ground. Another beam dagger flew through the air and plunged into a man's gut, causing him to collapse.

Two other _yakuza_ men charged the Ascended Beggar, fists and feet striking out in the motions of karate. The Ascended Beggar took their blows, ignoring the protests of his damaged body, and countered with what could only described as brawling. A blow striking a man's guard shattered arm bones and caused the man to recoil in agony, and sidestepping the other man's kick, kicked out, and crushed his testicles.

The man crumpled with a long moan of agony, and another kick literally shattered his head. The man with broken arms tumbled back, but was too slow: the Ascended Beggar closed, and grabbing his collar, pulled him in and used him as a shield as Raiga Fujimura pulled out a pair of Colt Single Action Army pistols with pearl grips.

"Die!" the old man shouted as he opened fire, peppering the Ascended Beggar's hostage's body with bullets. "Why won't you die?"

Another shot later, and the hostage's head blew apart…and which the Ascended Beggar took as the cue to throw the corpse at Taiga, who fell against the ground, pinned by the hostage's weight. Circuits flashing, the Ascended Beggar reached over his shoulder and drew his main weapon, an arming sword nearly thirty inches long. Sapphire and jade flashed to life on the hilt as he drew the blade, and backhanding a tearful Taiga out of the way swung down and ended Raiga's life.

* * *

The ringing of the phone echoed through the mansion, repeating several times before Rin arrived and picked it up with a sigh. "Yes, this is the Tohsaka residence, may I help you?" she asked.

"Hmm, Rin Tohsaka, I presume?"

Rin blinked, and then narrowed her eyes. "Who is this?" she demanded.

"I guess you can call me the Ascended Beggar. And while it's presumptuous, allow me to greet you on behalf of the Exiled Princess."

"The Exiled Princess?" Rin echoed. "Who the hell is that supposed to be?"

"I'm surprised. Aren't you supposed to be a genius?"

"If this is some kind of joke…"

"It is no joke, I assure you." The man interrupted. "If you want me to spell it out for you, then I will. Everything that has happened to reach this point, was and is a part of her plan. What that plan is ultimately meant to achieve though…"

The man paused and laughed. "Well," he continued. "That's a secret."

"No…it can't be…you bastards…!"

"Now, now," the man on the other side of the phone interrupted. "Don't get too hotheaded, this is something of negotiations after all. If you get too hotheaded, you won't be able to think clearly, and that's no good for negotiations."

"You…!"

"Oh and also…try not to call the Exiled Princess a bastard. She knows who her parents are…and from what I know of magi in general…"

The man paused and laughed. "Well…it's not really my place to judge." He said. "I'm sure she'll tell you all about it when or if you ever meet."

"What do you want?"

"Ah, cutting to the chase, aren't we? Alright then…is Shirou Emiya there?"

"I am the one you will be 'negotiating' with."

"If you care for the woman named Taiga Fujimura, then I suggest you be more cooperative."

Rin scoffed. "You're bluffing." She said.

"Am I?"

"Prove that you've got Fujimura-sensei's life at stake. I'll bet that you can't…"

Rin trailed off at shuffling sounds coming through the phone, and then was utterly stunned at the woman's voice coming from the phone. There was no doubt about it: it was Taiga Fujimura.

"T-Tohsaka-san…w-w-what's going on…he…this man…" the teacher asked with a shuddering voice, following more shuffling sounds.

"Believe me now?" the man from earlier asked.

"H-how do I know this isn't some t-trick?" Rin demanded. "You could be using magic to mimic her voice after all, it's quite easy to do."

"Are you sure you want to take a chance on that?" the man countered. "Fujimura's life is only valuable to me to get at your boyfriend. And there are other ways to use her to get at him. What will it be, Tohsaka?"

"Damn you…he's here."

"Then put him on the phone. If you want, you can even use the speakerphone so you can listen in"

"Hold on."

"I'll be waiting…as is Fujimura."

Rin snarled but carefully put the phone down, and rushed to find Shirou. "Shirou!" she shouted, finding him at work in the kitchen.

"What is…" he began, only to break off as Rin grabbed him by an arm and pulled him along. "Hey what's going on? Rin!"

"Someone calling himself the 'Ascended Beggar' has taken Fujimura-sensei hostage!"

"WHAT?"

Rin nodded, her face angry. "And apparently," she said. "They're connected with or working for the ones who assaulted my mother and robbed our family, someone calling themselves the 'Exiled Princess' or something."

"Somehow I'm not surprised they're using a title that's too big for them." Shirou growled angrily. "Are you sure they've got Fuji-nee?"

"No."

"What?"

Rin glanced at Shirou as they continued to walk towards the phone. "I heard her voice through the phone." Rin said. "She sounded terrified and…confused, but it definitely sounded like her. But, it could also be just a trick. It's not that difficult to mimic someone else's voice using magic. That said, can we really risk calling their bluff?"

Shirou made a frustrated sound. "No, we can't." he hissed.

Rin nodded, and together with Shirou approached the phone in silence. As they arrived, Rin picked up the phone again. "He's here." She said.

"Then put him through."

Rin grit her teeth, and then pressing the speakerphone button, returned the phone to its cradle before stepping back and gesturing at Shirou. He stepped forward, closer to the phone. "This is Shirou Emiya." He said. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"Didn't your girlfriend tell you? I'm the Ascended Beggar…"

"That's just a title." Shirou interrupted. "I want to know who you really are."

"What we want in life and what we get aren't always the same." The man replied. "As for what I want…well, come over to the Fujimura compound in an hour. Bring your weapons and other things if you want, just make sure you come ready to fight."

"What?"

"Oh, and don't bring your girlfriend along. This is just between you and me, young man. One on one, let's play fair, shall we?"

"YOU BASTARD!" Shirou roared. "HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT? AFTER YOU'VE TAKEN FUJI-NEE HOSTAGE?"

There was laughter on the phone. "I dare because I can." The Ascended Beggar said. "Just be sure to be here within the time limit I gave you, and of course, that Tohsaka isn't with you. If you don't meet either of those conditions, well, I'm guessing it's sadly time for the Fujimura family to end once and for all."

"What was that?"

There was a shuffling sound, and then Shirou gasped as her Taiga's voice. "Shirou…" she said, sounding like she was crying, no worse than that, like she was _broken_. "Is that you, Shirou?"

"Fuji-nee? What's happened? Are you alright? Fuji-nee!"

"Shirou…everyone's dead."

Rin and Shirou alike gasped in horror. "No…w-what?" Shirou whispered.

"H-he killed them a-all. My g-grandfather…m-m-m-my f-father…everyone except for the help is dead…"

Taiga trailed off, the only sound to be heard from the phone that of Taiga's crying. "Fuji-nee…Fuji-nee!" Shirou shouted, grabbing at the phone, but the voice that responded was not that of Taiga. It was the Ascended Beggar.

"It's as you heard, Emiya." He said. "Unless you want your foster family to end in its entirety, I suggest you cooperate."

"DAMN YOU!" Shirou roared, and forcing Rin to grab him by the arms to restrain him. "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU…!"

There was laughter from the phone. "We shall see." The Ascended Beggar replied. "We will be waiting, and we trust you will not disappoint."

The line was audibly cut, and Shirou ground his teeth before shouting out his anger.

* * *

Shirou's face was grim, eyes hard and lips set as he walked down the street, heading for the Fujimura compound. In the distance, he could see it: a shimmering field of energy, a powerful bounded field that surrounded the Fujimura compound, keeping ordinary people from noticing what was going on.

The sound of wings in the night had Shirou briefly pausing, and looking up noticed an owl winging past. As it did so, it glanced once at Shirou before flying off: one of Rin's familiars. While the 'Ascended Beggar' had forbidden Rin from actually accompanying Shirou, he didn't say anything about her not being allowed to watch…

…assuming of course, that her familiars could get past the bounded field.

If not…

Shirou's eyes widened, and he gasped before running forward, his line of thinking cut as he saw two bodies lying on the ground at the entrance to the Fujimura compound. Gasping again as he arrived, he recognized them as the same men who'd tried to keep him from entering just recently. And now they lay dead on the ground, cut down by some kind of weapon that, from the look of things, cauterized the wound.

"A fire element mystic code…?" Shirou muttered, kneeling down beside the bodies. After a few moments, he sighed, and reached out to close their eyes before standing up. Looking up, Shirou's eyes widened, gasping in horror. "No…no…this…this is…"

Corpses lay across the grounds, over the path leading to the entrance and the foyer, and to his left. All killed the same way the men at the gates were…

…no…that wasn't quite right. Some of them had been killed by being shot…also by some kind of weapon or spell that cauterized the wounds it left. And then Shirou saw Izumo Kaneda, the young man's shoulders slumping at the sight of the stern but fair and loyal retainer of the Fujimura household. He lay on his back, head hanging to one side in death, his chest shot through with cauterized holes.

Shirou closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. Even then, he couldn't help the tears from escaping, rage, grief and loss all warring inside against each other to influence his next move. Finally, Shirou snarled and stood up.

He would _not_ allow whoever was behind this barbarity to get away with it.

He would _not_ allow the deaths of all these people, who should have had nothing to do with the dispute the so-called 'Exiled Princess' had with the Tohsaka Clan, go unavenged.

He would _not_ allow justice to be denied.

Shirou had long since come to terms with the knowledge that his dream of becoming a Hero of Justice was just that: a dream. He knew he couldn't really make it reality. But, he also knew that there was nothing wrong with the dream, or its ideals, the ideals that his father had passed down to him.

Even if all he could do was help ever so little in any way he could…

…then that was enough. He was already living the dream, putting the ideals into practice, making them _real_.

And here and now, there was another such opportunity. If only though…if only…

…if only family's blood was not the price for the opportunity…

Shirou grit his teeth yet again, as he passed the doors and the corpse of the old doorkeeper, killed brutally with the broken front of a _naginata_ jammed through his head. Similar sights greeted him as he made his way through the building, corpses of Fujimura retainers scattered along his route, killed much like those in the front.

Finally, as Shirou emerged into the atrium, he saw something that made his seething anger and hatred boil over. On the opposite side of the atrium, there was a man, dressed in a business ensemble. Smoking a cigar…one of the cigars Shirou had gifted Raiga on his and Rin's return from London. And beside and behind the man there was Taiga, and the help, all tied up and gagged.

"Hey," the Ascended Beggar said, blowing out a thick plume of smoke. "Shirou Emiya is it? Welcome, and thanks for coming so promptly. I was thinking you…"

Whatever else he had to say was cut off by Shirou roaring in rage while charging forward, his magic circuits flashing all over his body as he reinforced it. "TRACE ON!" Shirou shouted, Durandal flashing into existence in one hand. And then raising it overhead, he held the Noble Phantasms in both hands, and swung down.

There was sharp snap-hiss sound, and crossing what looked like _lightsabers_ of all things overhead, the Ascended Beggar blocked Shirou's opening blow. Prana crackled along Durandal's blade, while the lightsabers whined and hummed in protest.

For a long moment, they locked blades, and then the Ascended Beggar briefly gave way before shoving back with redoubled force. His guard slipping slightly, Shirou found himself kicked back, skidding on his feet several steps.

The Ascended Beggar rotated his lightsabers in both hands, and then charged forward. Lightsabers hummed and whined as he rained blows down on Shirou one after another, alternating between blades in turn, all the while building up momentum, before finally raising both blades and bringing them down on Durandal at the same time.

Swords ground against each other, and then giving way Shirou leapt back to reopen the space between them. Surprisingly, the Ascended Beggar didn't pursue, instead rotating his lightsabers, and then keeping one low pointed the other at Shirou.

"Is that all you've got young man?" he asked.

"You wish." Shirou said, holding Durandal two-handed before him.

The Ascended Beggar smirked, and then crossing his blades before him charged and uncrossed them. Holding them low behind him as he closed, the Ascended Beggar again delivered alternating blows, only to be surprised by a riposte that brought his momentum to a halt. Growling, the Ascended Beggar avoided the follow through, and then was forced back a couple of steps by a furious counterattack by Shirou.

A two-handed blow rose and fell, the Ascended Beggar blocking them with his sabers…and then Shirou grinned, Durandal glowing with prana as he did so. "What the…" the Ascended Beggar barely managed to say before an explosion blew him and Shirou away from each other.

For several moments, only dust filled the atrium, but as it cleared the Ascended Beggar, singed but otherwise unharmed emerged. Snorting in disgust, he discarded his shorted out weapons, and then drew his sword from behind his shoulder.

As he did so, a spinning sound caught his attention, and his eyes widened as a pair of black and white blurs spun through the air at him. He turned them both, sparks striking off as a pair of Chinese _daos_ to burst through the wooden walls on either side of the atrium. And then Shirou himself reappeared, singed and battered but otherwise unharmed, standing on the far side of the atrium. He held out his hands.

"Trace on." He said, face set in resolve. Prana glowed in his hands, and the same _daos_ that had just been thrown away flashed into existence. The Ascended Beggar smiled, as Shirou pointed a white _dao_ in his direction.

"Let's go."

* * *

A/N

What? Waver El-Melloi II (actually Reines Archisorte El-Melloi) has a T-1000 as a maid. Compared to that, beam sabers/lightsabers should be easy to make for a magus. Especially since jewels are crystals in themselves, and lightsabers need specially-attuned crystals to properly generate their blades. Therefore, if they put their minds to it, jewel mages like Rin, Luvia, and _Sakura_ (as she should be) ought to be able to know how to make beam sabers/lightsabers.


End file.
